UK-flagged tanker hijacked in Strait of Hormuz? Update hijacked by Iran

Mikhail VoytenkoNews
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Update 1820 UTC Jul 19: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it has seized British oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz.

It looks like the UK-flagged product tanker STENA IMPERO was forced to move into Iranian waters while transiting Strait of Hormuz en route to Al Jubayl Saudi Arabia, Persian Gulf. Tanker turned hard a starboard at around 1527 UTC Jul 19, and moved straight into Iranian waters, as of 1620 UTC tanker continued sailing in Iranian waters, south of Bandar Abbas, at some 13.5 knots speed.
It does look like a hijack on high seas, and if it is so, it’s an act of piracy, absolutely unlawful seizure of a foreign tanker in international waters, by a rogue State military.
Product tanker STENA IMPERO, IMO 9797400, dwt 49683, built 2018, flag UK, manager STENA BULK.

Author

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My name is Mikhail Voytenko, I’m Russian, professional merchant marine navigator, by education and former experience. I own and run Maritime Bulletin website for more than 10 years. I've been involved in solving a number of piracy hijack cases, including the hijack of ro-ro FAINA, loaded with tanks. It was me who made public, and unravel, freighter ARCTIC SEA mystery. I've been also closely involved in a number of maritime disaster, one of them being MSC FLAMINIA major fire.