One seafarer killed in missile attack on tanker in Gulf

One seafarer was killed in an explosion believed to have been caused by a missile attack on an oil products tanker in the Gulf on Thursday, the ship’s manager says.

The tanker MT Velos was sailing unladen towards Bahrain when it was hit, Greek management firm Velos Tankers says in a statement.

“The company is greatly saddened to report the death of one of its seafarers, who was found fatally injured on board after having initially been reported missing in the aftermath of the explosion,” it says.

There were no other injuries among the crew, who extinguished a fire on the ship caused by the explosion, and no reports of pollution, Velos Tankers adds.

The vessel was taken to Bahrain’s Khalifa Bin Salman Port and an investigation will be launched. The extent of the damage to the vessel’s hull was still being assessed.