Seafarer Killed After Gulf Oil Tanker Struck by Missile

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 said on Friday.

The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MT Velos Sapphire was sailing unladen towards Bahrain when it was hit, Greek management firm Velos Tankers said 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 said.

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 added.

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.

(Reuters)