4 tankers catch fire after hitting mines in Strait of Hormuz
Iran said the ships entered a prohibited route and ignored warnings, a day after the U.S. claimed the main channel had been cleared.
Four tankers were reported on fire after striking sea mines while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. CNN Indonesia reported that three ships exploded and caught fire after trying to pass through the southern route of the strait, which Iran said was not allowed, while another vessel caught fire on Thursday (29/10) in the eastern part of the strait. Iran's Navy Information Service said the ships were operating in an unsafe area, had turned off radar, navigation or tracking systems, and ignored warnings from authorities. The incident came a day after the United States claimed it had cleared the main channel in the Strait of Hormuz. The British maritime agency, UKMTO, also received reports of a ship on fire northeast of Khasab, Oman, and two other incidents in the same area.