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A blaze on board a Kuwaiti oil tanker anchored just off Dubai's port has been brought under control after fire crews battled flames overnight.
The Salmi, which was 'fully-laden' according to Kuwait Petroleum, was struck in an apparent Iranian drone strike.
Maritime firefighters on Tuesday morning were assessing the damage. Dubai authorities said all 24 crew were safely accounted for.
Kuwait News Agency reported the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation as saying that the giant crude oil tanker Al Salmi was subjected to a “direct, heinous Iranian attack” and was fully laden. The KPC said there was a “possibility” of an oil spill. There was no confirmation of that from UAE authorities.
Dubai Government Media Office said there had been an “incident involving a drone affecting a Kuwaiti oil tanker in Dubai waters (Anchorage 'E'), with no injuries reported”.
"Dubai authorities have confirmed that response teams have successfully extinguished the fire involving a Kuwaiti oil tanker," it said following a string of updates overnight.
“No injuries have been reported, and the safety of all 24 crew members has been secured." it said.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations said a security officer aboard the tanker had “reported an unknown projectile had struck their tanker on the starboard side causing a fire to the vessel.”
The incident took place just after midnight. It is another sign of escalation in the Iran war and came hours after US President Donald Trump threatened to destroy Iranian energy and desalination infrastructure unless a deal was quickly reached.
The conflict has upended global markets and critical Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, paralysing energy shipping.
