Two Greek oil tankers hit by missiles in Strait of Hormuz

Two Greek-owned oil tankers were struck by missiles of unknown origin while navigating the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman. The incidents involved the Kavomaleas, flying a Maltese flag, and the VLCC Acheloos, flagged in Liberia, both operated by the Athens-based company Dynacom.

The tankers were hit almost simultaneously during the night as they transited the southern corridor of the strait, a route coordinated by the United States. No casualties were reported among the crews. The Kavomaleas sustained damage to its engine room from two missile impacts, causing a fire that was controlled by the ship's own extinguishing system. Its crew abandoned the vessel and was safely rescued by a tugboat.

The Acheloos was hit by a missile in its stern, causing damage. It proceeded to an anchorage with its entire crew safe. The source of the projectiles remains unknown. However, shortly after the attacks, Iran's Revolutionary Guard stated that two tankers using what it called an "insecure southern route" had been put out of service.

Maritime risk consultancy MARISKS highlighted that these events underscore a significant escalation in operational risk for merchant vessels in the region, amidst ongoing cross-border attacks between Iran and the United States.