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-   -   Two tankers attacked in Gulf of Oman (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/622470-two-tankers-attacked-gulf-oman.html)

ORAC 13th Jun 2019 08:22

Two tankers attacked in Gulf of Oman
 
Sky reporting two tankers attacked in Gulf of Oman this morning. US 6th fleet responding in rescue operation.

Sky reporter states rumours are that they were torpedoed.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/928429...-of-oman-iran/

https://news.sky.com/story/two-oil-t...-oman-11740888

A_Van 13th Jun 2019 08:39


Originally Posted by ORAC (Post 10492638)
Sky reporting two tankers attacked in Gulf of Oman this morning. US 6th fleet responding in rescue operation.
......

Did not you mean the 5th fleet? 6th fleet operates in the Med, AFAIK.....

Toadstool 13th Jun 2019 08:41


Originally Posted by A_Van (Post 10492653)
Did not you mean the 5th fleet? 6th fleet operates in the Med, AFAIK.....

I think its the 5th fleet. Headquarters Bahrain(two seas).

Worrying development.

ORAC 13th Jun 2019 09:22

Iranian TV reporting that 44 seaman from the two tankers have been taken to an Iranian port.

So it would seem the Iranians were in close proximity to the tankers and ready to act immediately after the attacks occurred.

It would also seem to indicate the tankers have been abandoned or sunk - pollution a major possibility.

AnglianAV8R 13th Jun 2019 09:28

"Both vessels were carrying "Japan-related" cargo, Japan's Trade Ministry said"

Coinciding with Japanese PM visit to Tehran.

ORAC 13th Jun 2019 09:35

At least one tanker has sunk, fully loaded with oil.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-mi...-idUKKCN1TE0YT

Frontline says its Front Altair tanker on fire in Gulf of Oman - VG

OSLO (Reuters) - The Norwegian shipping firm Frontline confirmed on Thursday that its oil tanker Front Altair was on fire after an incident in the Gulf of Oman, Norwegian newspaper VG reported, quoting a company spokesman.

All 23 crew members were brought to safety at a nearby vessel, the spokesman added.




https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....97e0fcc99.jpeg

ORAC 13th Jun 2019 09:41

Tanker reported as heading for Singapore.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-m...-idUSKCN1TE0UM

LONDON (Reuters) - The Kokuka Courageous tanker was damaged in a security incident in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, a spokesman for the vessel’s manager BSM Ship Management (Singapore) said.

The spokesman said 21 crew had abandoned ship after the incident, which resulted in damage to the ship’s starboard hull. The master and crew were quickly rescued from a lifeboat by the Coastal Ace, a nearby vessel. One crew man from the Kokuka Courageous was slightly injured in the incident and received first aid on board the Coastal Ace.

“The Kokuka Courageous remains in the area and is not in any danger of sinking. The cargo of methanol is intact,” the spokesman said.

The vessel is about 70 nautical miles from Fujairah and about 14 nautical miles off Iran.



ORAC 13th Jun 2019 10:05


jolihokistix 13th Jun 2019 10:10

Top news on Japan's NHK. Their methanol tanker (panama registered) is drifting crewless. They took two hits, (being reported as... artillery?) and the crew were afraid of sparks.

ORAC 13th Jun 2019 10:12

https://www.devdiscourse.com/article...ts-authorities

The Norwegian tanker Front Altair was "attacked" Thursday in the Gulf of Oman, with three explosions but no injuries reported on board, the Norwegian Maritime Authority said. Another reported attack in the same zone targeted the vessel Kokuka Courageous, the authority said in a statement.

The Front Altair, a 111,000-tonne oil tanker, is currently ablaze and emergency crews are at the scene, it added. "Today, June 13 at 6:03 am, the Front Altair, a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, was attacked between the Emirates and Iran," the statement said. “Three explosions on board the vessel were reported. The crew boarded a passing vessel and no injuries have been reported.".....


jolihokistix 13th Jun 2019 10:16

Someone will benefit from a rise in the price of oil, but everyone else on the planet will lose out as a result of these attacks.

ericsson16 13th Jun 2019 10:18

Hyundai Dubai Got the crew from the two tankers.
 
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais...713604/zoom:10

Asturias56 13th Jun 2019 12:17


Originally Posted by AnglianAV8R (Post 10492685)
"Both vessels were carrying "Japan-related" cargo, Japan's Trade Ministry said"

Coinciding with Japanese PM visit to Tehran.


Could of course be an unfortunate co-incidence

But who benefits from stirring it up at this point..............

An Iranian faction trying to off the Japanese who are trying to broker a peace deal?

A US operation to get a Gulf of Tonkin Resolution??

The Saudis pushing up the oil price and causing trouble for Iran???

The Israelis putting pressure on Iran ????

Boris Johnson pushing the wrong button on his IPhone ?????

caiman27 13th Jun 2019 12:21

Neither ship has sunk. Strangely, the Front Altair appears to be moving slowly with two tugs in attendance. One Iranian, one with Bahamas registration.

Arclite01 13th Jun 2019 12:28

Salvage rights

Asturias56 13th Jun 2019 12:38

More likely the owners/insurers have hired whatever is available - there must be a load of tugs for hire around there............

The fact they haven't sunk suggests a small mine - a torpedo would break the ship in half

jolihokistix 13th Jun 2019 12:57

Timed to go off when they are passing Iran?

TBM-Legend 13th Jun 2019 13:13

Surface to ship missiles from Iranian side..??

TURIN 13th Jun 2019 13:23


Originally Posted by TBM-Legend (Post 10492893)
Surface to ship missiles from Iranian side..??

I'm no consperacy theorist but the term 'false flag' keeps popping in to mind.
Just enough damage to the ships to cause offence, no injuries. I can't help thinking that the only entity that wants to escalate a conflict here is the same entity that keeps sabre rattling prior to elections.
Hmmmmm. Suspect.

jolihokistix 13th Jun 2019 13:41

On the other hand, I cannot see exactly what benefit Iran would gain from such attacks just off her shores. If these were mines, timed once again to go off in the early hours of 6~7 am, then did someone work out in advance roughly where they'd be at that time?

SASless 13th Jun 2019 14:42

At this point....the latest two "attacks" have not been confirmed by any investigation or examination of the ships involved.

But please....do not let that get in the way of your allegations and declaration of the causes and culprits.:=


KelvinD 13th Jun 2019 16:18


So it would seem the Iranians were in close proximity to the tankers and ready to act immediately after the attacks occurred.
The Iranian SAR vessel NAJI10 put out from the nearby Iranian port of Jask so I wouldn't read too much into that. Iranian news was quoted as having said quite a number of the Front Altair's crew were taken into Jask. Meanwhile, it seems neither vessel is going anywhere. Front Altair is showing a speed of 08. knots and the other 0.4 knots.

Just a spotter 13th Jun 2019 17:16

Cui Bono .... ?

JAS

jolihokistix 14th Jun 2019 00:11

Photos here appear to show that the fire has been extinguished. If so bravo to all. Not so easy to put out the fires of suspicion, though.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/...150655075.html

BVRAAM 14th Jun 2019 00:15

This has John Bolton's name written all over it.

He has been desperate for Iranian regime change for a while now, and Trump is not a "yes man." The only way to achieve it is to set something up. Saudi?!
All speculation but this is a rumour site.

It makes absolutely no strategic sense for Iran to do this. Talk about cutting off their nose to spite their face - they're smarter than this.

Marly Lite 14th Jun 2019 00:31

BVRAAM, agreed. can't wait for the next dodgy dossier.

SASless 14th Jun 2019 03:05


This has John Bolton's name written all over it.
Since when would a false flag operation bear signed autographs?


Load Toad 14th Jun 2019 04:28


Originally Posted by SASless (Post 10493333)
Since when would a false flag operation bear signed autographs?

John Bolton is the kind of Hawk that wants his name all over a war

Load Toad 14th Jun 2019 04:30

Fairly Damning Though Innit?

TEEEJ 14th Jun 2019 05:33


ORAC 14th Jun 2019 07:34

Background to video above.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...tanker-attacks

US says video shows Iranian military removing mine from tanker

The US military has released video footage it says shows an Iranian military patrol boat approach one of two tankers attacked in the Gulf of Oman, to support the Trump administration’s claims that Iran was responsible.

The blurry black and white footage, taken from the air, shows a small military boat alongside the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous, and someone standing up on the prow of the boat to remove an object from the tanker’s hull. The small boat then pulls away from the tanker.

US officials were quoted as saying the boat was an Iranian Revolutionary Guard patrol boat approaching the tanker after it was attacked on Thursday, and the object removed was an unexploded limpet mine. It was unclear whether it was being alleged the Iranian sailors were detaching the mine in order to remove evidence......

The US military also released a photo it claimed showed a mine on the side of the Kokuka Courageous and some damage to the hull.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....38353774b.jpeg

jolihokistix 14th Jun 2019 08:33

After the first explosion the crew of the Japanese ship report seeing 'flying objects' coming in towards them, and the manager of the company is adamant from listening to their testimony that the subsequent explosion was 'definitely not a mine or a torpedo', it says.

In Japanese: https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=2...00080-jij-soci

And from NHK, in English until they take it down. A 'projectile' is the translation here: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190614_31/

dead_pan 14th Jun 2019 08:55

Intriguing why the mines (assuming this is what caused the damage) were positioned above the waterline. Intention to damage rather than sink? Also they would have been quite easy to spot from the deck, depending how long they had been in place. Peculiar stuff.

I do struggle to see how the Iranians benefit from this, assuming they or their proxies are indeed behind this. The Arab states on the other hand...

ORAC 14th Jun 2019 09:08


I do struggle to see how the Iranians benefit from this, assuming they or their proxies are indeed behind this.
Good article in The Times.....

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/w...hran-rf9b72s7m

Trump and his allies given the clearest of messages

No one has claimed responsibility for yesterday’s attacks, nor for similar attacks on May 12, but an investigation of those pointed the finger obliquely at Iran, and most western powers and their Gulf allies will be working on the assumption that Tehran is to blame. If that is the case, the speed with which Iranian media were able to announce the attacks and then post video of the resulting conflagration would suggest a brazenness that will help intelligence agencies decipher their purpose.

The May incident was unprecedented and shocking, but in some ways was less dangerous, as it came at a moment when tensions between Iran and the United States were already high. The United States had boasted of sending an aircraft carrier to the Middle East, along with extra B52 bombers to the US air base at al-Udeid in Qatar. Iran had been threatening action in response to the effective US blockade of Iranian oil exports through its sanctions programme.

But the warnings of an accidental drift to war had already begun to have an effect by May 12. President Trump, who was elected on a pledge not to get involved in Middle East conflicts, went out of his way to talk down the threats of the belligerent John Bolton, his national security adviser, and publicly called for talks with the Iranian regime. He was not looking for regime change, he insisted, only to talk to the regime about its nuclear programme.

He then dispatched the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, to talk to the Supreme Leader. Mr Abe’s spokesman denies his current trip to Tehran is just to act as mediator for the US, but Japan has a vested interest in seeking a solution to the dispute between its most important strategic ally and Iran, previously one of its major oil suppliers.

If today’s attacks are a response to this outreach by the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it is then a particularly devastating one. The ayatollah has not only rejected talks with America – which he had already done, and did again when meeting Mr Abe – but done so in the most egregious way. The choice of a Japanese-owned tanker would be a particular insult to Mr Abe.

The only silver lining to this threatening cloud is that this message appears so clear it must be intended to be read as such by his opponents. It is assumed Iran does not actually want a war - which would be devastating to it and, if Mr Bolton had his way at least, could well end the Islamic Republic altogether. Rather, perhaps, the ayatollah is saying that he cannot just be expected to come crawling at the request of an intermediary like Mr Abe.

The tankers targeted so far have been Norwegian, Saudi and Emirati - last month - and Japanese and Norwegian this month. All are key allies but none is actually American, which might trigger an immediate military response.

Iran may be saying that it wants Mr Trump, if he is so keen for a deal, to come crawling himself, or face the consequences.



BVRAAM 14th Jun 2019 09:23


Originally Posted by Load Toad (Post 10493360)
John Bolton is the kind of Hawk that wants his name all over a war

He's already had his name over one...

It was only 16 years ago.

ORAC 14th Jun 2019 09:27

Bellingcat started a thread on the attack, still adding posts.


dead_pan 14th Jun 2019 10:11


Rather, perhaps, the ayatollah is saying that he cannot just be expected to come crawling at the request of an intermediary like Mr Abe.
Then why host him at all, or get one of his lackeys to meet him?

Tashengurt 14th Jun 2019 11:29

It all seems a bit too nailed on to me. Unless Iran were sending a message of course.

NutLoose 14th Jun 2019 12:07

The Iranians (if indeed they are) in the boat could simply claim they were disarming / removing a device they had seen to prevent further damage.

SASless 14th Jun 2019 12:47

The Iranians in the Patrol Boat were removing and disarming the Mine....no doubt.

Nice of them to do that at very great risk to themselves.

Of course....the possibility they knew what it was....how to safely disarm it....and do so in very short order.....does make one wonder how they knew how to safely and efficiently do so.

Very well trained those Iranians I would say.

Now if they were genuinely innocent of any wrong doing....don't you think the Iranian government would be inviting outsiders (media, military, intelligence) to examine the mine to determine its origins?

Also...none of the ships attacks with Mines in the May incidents and the most recent have sunk....and were only damaged.

None were American.....which as we know from posts here and by the Iranians Public Announcements is the real enemy.

Why have American Allies been attacked but not an American Vessel?

The Iranians are playing the long game here.....divide and conquer....and find a way to get the Sanctions removed shy of getting into a real war.

They know this for sure...


President Trump, who was elected on a pledge not to get involved in Middle East conflicts, went out of his way to talk down the threats of the belligerent John Bolton, his national security adviser, and publicly called for talks with the Iranian regime.
He even asked for help from Abe in that effort.

They better not overplay their hand because if they do it shall get very ugly for them because the Sanctions shall not be removed until the Ayatollah's find themselves hawking Korans in the Bazaars for a living.

The Iranians are behind the attacks....either the Revolutionary Guards are doing it or some group supported by the Iranians are doing it at their bidding.

If it looks like a Duck, waddles like a Duck, quacks like a Duck....it might just be a Duck!




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