Commercial ships under a “sabotage” on the UAE coast amid mysterious circumstances
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that four commercial cargo ships from several nationalities were hit by what they described as subversive operations near the UAE’s territorial waters, without specifying the nature of the operations or determining who is behind them.
The ministry said in a statement that the operations targeting the four ships were near the Emirate of Fujairah, near the territorial waters, and in the economic waters of the UAE.
The ministry added that the investigation is underway on the circumstances of the accident in cooperation with local and international bodies, and that the parties concerned will raise the results when the completion of the procedures.
The UAE Foreign Ministry said that the operations didn’t cause any human damage or injuries, and didn’t result in any leakage of harmful substances or fuel from these vessels.
Earlier, the Information Office of the Government of Fujairah denied media reports that powerful explosions rocked yesterday morning, Sunday, the port of Fujairah.
Iran’s Press TV reported that seven oil tankers being attacked in the port of Fujairah.
Earlier, the Yemeni Houthi group threatened to hit targets in the UAE in response to operations by the Saudi-UAE coalition forces in Yemen.
The Huthis spoke months ago of targeting Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports with marching planes.
In the same context, the Saudi Energy Minister announced that two Saudi oil tankers were damaged as a result of the sabotage attack that took place off the coast of the UAE, according to the official Saudi news agency.
“Two Saudi tankers were attacked with sabotage on their way to cross the Arabian Gulf into the economic waters of the United Arab Emirates, near the emirate of Fujairah”, the agency quoted Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al Falih as saying.
Al Falih confirmed that there were no injuries or fuel leaks from the attack, “while causing serious damage to the structures of the two vessels”.
The minister added that one of the two carriers was on its way to “load a load of Saudi oil from the port of Ras Tanura, and then go to the United States to supply Saudi Aramco customers”.
Meanwhile the authorities at the UAE didn’t specify the nature of the incident or the side that might be responsible, while some voices accusing Iran of being behind the attack.
The port of Fujairah is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s largest ports of refueling, and the strait is a vital waterway to transit oil and gas shipments to world markets.
