The United Kingdom’s Merchant Marine Operations (UKMTO) has announced that a vessel was seized by “unauthorized persons” off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and was heading towards Iranian territorial waters, reports Anadolu.

The maritime agency said it had received a report of an incident about 38 nautical miles northeast of the city of Fujairah.

UKMTO said the company’s security officer of the ship reported that “the ship was taken by unauthorized persons while it was anchored and is now heading towards Iranian territorial waters”.

The agency said it continues to investigate the incident and advised ships in the area to report any suspicious activity.

There were no immediate details on the identity of the ship or the people involved in the seizure.

Regional tensions have escalated after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, prompting Tehran to retaliate against Israel as well as US allies in the Persian Gulf, along with closing the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire came into effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. US President Donald Trump later extended the cease-fire indefinitely.

Since April 13, the US has implemented a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

Source: prizrenpost