Khaberni - Maritime security sources said that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard intercepted the oil products tanker Talara, which was flying the flag of the Marshall Islands and led it to Iranian waters, while the operating company announced the loss of contact with its crew.
The sources added today, Friday, that the tanker was sailing in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the UAE from Sharjah on its way to Singapore, loaded with a shipment of high-sulfur gas oil.
The operating company "Columbia Ship Management" stated in a statement: "The contact was lost around 8:22 AM local time (0422 UTC) today, Friday...about 20 nautical miles off the coast of Khorfakkan in the UAE."
The company added that it is working closely with the relevant authorities, including maritime security agencies and the owning company of the tanker, to restore contact.
The tanker is owned by Basha Finance, based in Cyprus.
The British Maritime Trade Operations Authority stated that the incident "is believed to be state-orchestrated, and the ship is heading towards Iranian territorial waters."
The British Vanguard Group for maritime risk management and maritime security sources said that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard intercepted the tanker at sea and redirected it towards the Iranian coast.
The UAE authorities and the Iranian Foreign Ministry have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Over the past years, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has repeatedly detained commercial ships in the waters of the Gulf, often citing maritime violations such as suspicion of smuggling or technical violations or legal disputes.
Ship tracking data from Marine Traffic today, Friday, showed that the last time the ship reported its location was around 0810 UTC and that it was sailing near the Iranian coast.
