UAE tugboat sank in Strait of Hormuz; 3 Indonesian crew missing

JAKARTA, Indonesia: Three Indonesian crew members are missing after the United Arab Emirates-flagged tugboat Musaffah 2 sank in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, Jakarta’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

There have been numerous attacks on ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Israeli war on Iran started on February 28.

The Musaffah had seven crew members from Indonesia, India and the Philippines, the ministry said, adding that four survived and three others, all Indonesians, are missing.

Before it sank, the boat experienced an explosion that caused it to catch fire, the statement said, adding that an investigation is ongoing by local authorities.

The security firm Vanguard said the tugboat was struck by two missiles while attempting to provide assistance to the Malta-flagged container ship Safeen Prestige.

That ship was struck by a missile on Wednesday, Vanguard said in a statement.

“One Indonesian survivor is currently receiving burn treatment at a hospital in the city of Khasab, Oman. The other three Indonesians are still being searched for by the local authorities,” the Indonesian ministry said.

Another Indonesian national was at the location of the incident, but now on a different vessel and is currently safe, the statement added.