A Thai bulk carrier was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, with 20 crew members rescued by Omani forces as three remain missing amid regional tensions.

BANGKOK: A Thai bulk carrier was attacked while transiting the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

The Royal Thai Navy confirmed the incident involving the Thai-registered vessel Mayuree Naree, which had departed from Khalifa port in the United Arab Emirates.

Photos released by the navy showed heavy black smoke billowing from the ship’s hull and superstructure. Life rafts were visible floating in the water nearby.

Omani naval forces have successfully rescued 20 sailors from the vessel. Efforts are currently underway to locate and rescue the remaining three crew members.

“The specific details and cause of the attack are currently under investigation,” the Thai navy stated.

The attack occurs amid heightened regional tensions, with Iran having launched strikes against neighbouring oil-exporting nations. These actions have threatened shipping in the vital waterway and destabilised the global energy economy.

It was not immediately clear if this incident was among three commercial ships reportedly hit in the Gulf according to earlier alerts from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre.

Ship-tracking data showed the Mayuree Naree positioned just off the Omani coast. The 178-metre carrier, displacing 30,000 tonnes, was moving slowly toward its destination of Kandla in India.

The vessel is owned by Thai transport company Precious Shipping. AFP sought comment from the firm in Bangkok but did not receive an immediate response.

 The Sun Malaysia