Missiles strike a Thai cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz, sparking fire and forcing an evacuation. Twenty Thai crew rescued by the Omani Navy, while three remain trapped aboard the damaged vessel as Thai authorities coordinate rescue and investigate the attack.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was briefed on Wednesday afternoon about an attack on a Thai-registered cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The 15,891-ton MAYUREE NAREE was struck and damaged by fire alongside two other vessels at 11.10 am. Twenty of the twenty-three crew were evacuated with assistance from the Omani Navy. On Wednesday afternoon, Transport Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said the government still did not know who attacked the vessel. He said the matter was being handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Thai authorities confirmed that a Thai-flagged cargo vessel was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, March 11. However, rescue operations continued for three crew members still trapped on board. Earlier, twenty crew members were rescued safely by the Royal Navy of Oman.
All 23 crew members aboard the vessel are Thai nationals. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had been informed. Consequently, multiple government agencies began monitoring the situation.
At 4.26 p.m. on Wednesday, Phiphat spoke to reporters at Government House. Shortly afterwards, he chaired a meeting of the Centre for Monitoring and Managing the Conflict in the Middle East. The meeting examined the attack involving the Thai cargo vessel MAYUREE NAREE.
Bulk carrier Mayuree Naree left a UAE port without cargo before the attack in the Strait of Hormuz
The vessel is a bulk carrier with a gross tonnage of 15,891 tons. According to officials, the ship had departed Khalifa Port in the United Arab Emirates earlier that day. However, it was sailing without cargo at the time of the attack.
Authorities said unloading had already been completed at the UAE port. Therefore, the vessel departed in ballast and began its return voyage.
Initially, port authorities instructed the ship to weigh anchor and leave its berth. Afterwards, the vessel travelled roughly 20 kilometres away from the port area. However, the situation changed suddenly during the voyage.
An explosion then occurred inside the engine room. According to maritime monitoring reports, the incident occurred at about 11.10 a.m. Thailand time. At that point, the vessel had already passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
Two projectiles strike a Thai cargo vessel, triggering explosions and fire, forcing crew evacuation
Shortly afterwards, two projectiles struck the vessel above the waterline. Consequently, explosions erupted near the stern and inside the engine room. The blasts caused severe damage to machinery spaces.
Furthermore, the explosions triggered a fire in the engine compartment. As a result, the crew was forced to abandon the ship. Therefore, emergency evacuation procedures began immediately. All 23 crew members were on board during the attack. Importantly, every crew member was a Thai national.
During the evacuation, twenty sailors escaped using liferafts. Subsequently, they moved away from the damaged vessel in open water. Soon afterwards, Omani naval units arrived at the scene. Consequently, rescue teams recovered the twenty survivors at sea.
The rescued crew members were then transported ashore safely. Eventually, they were brought to Khasab in Oman. However, three crew members remained inside the vessel. According to reports, they were believed to be trapped in the engine room following the explosions.
Omani Navy rescues twenty Thai sailors as three remain trapped aboard the damaged cargo vessel
Therefore, Omani naval teams began further rescue attempts. However, the operation faced difficult conditions. Phiphat stated that the vessel currently had no lighting on board.
Consequently, rescue teams faced challenges moving through damaged compartments. Nevertheless, authorities confirmed that no fatalities had been reported. However, officials were still checking whether any crew members had suffered injuries.
Meanwhile, the Royal Thai Navy confirmed the attack through its Maritime Traffic and Vessel Control Centre. The centre had monitored the vessel’s departure and route before the incident. According to naval reports, the ship was struck twice above the waterline.
Consequently, explosions occurred at the stern and inside the engine room. The blasts then ignited a fire in the engine compartment. As a result, the vessel suffered extensive damage and had to be abandoned.
Thai navy confirms attack in Omani waters and coordinates regional rescue and maritime response
Admiral Thadawut Thadpitakkul, Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Navy, confirmed the details. He said the Navy received reports that the vessel had been fired upon in waters near Oman. Earlier, the navy had received alerts from maritime monitoring systems.
Therefore, naval officials began coordinating assistance immediately. First, the Royal Thai Navy contacted Omani authorities. Then, cooperation was quickly arranged to support rescue operations.
At the same time, Thai naval liaison officers in Bahrain activated regional coordination channels. Consequently, cooperation expanded across several maritime organisations. For example, the Navy worked with the Combined Maritime Forces headquarters in Bahrain.
In addition, communication continued with the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. Furthermore, Thai authorities contacted embassies in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. These diplomatic channels supported search-and-rescue coordination.
Foreign Ministry and regional maritime agencies coordinate response as wider attacks hit ships
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs joined the response effort. Specifically, the Consular Affairs Department began preparing assistance for the crew.
Additionally, the Marine Department and the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre joined the operation. Together, these agencies coordinated efforts to support all 23 sailors. Officials said the objective is to ensure the crew’s safe return to Thailand once conditions permit.
Meanwhile, maritime security agencies reported other attacks in the same region. According to security sources, three vessels were struck by unidentified projectiles on Wednesday. However, the Thai cargo vessel reportedly suffered the most severe damage.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Security Centre reported another maritime incident. A cargo ship north of Iran experienced a fire after an unidentified projectile struck the vessel. As a result, the crew of that ship was forced to evacuate. Additionally, another container vessel was hit in waters off the United Arab Emirates.
Investigators probe unidentified projectiles as security fears rise along key oil shipping route
However, investigators have not yet identified the origin of the weapons used in the attacks. Therefore, the exact cause of the incident remains under investigation.
The Royal Thai Navy stated that the details and source of the projectiles remain unclear. Authorities are continuing to gather information through international maritime security channels.
Meanwhile, regional instability has intensified in recent days. Consequently, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed sharply. The narrow waterway remains one of the world’s most critical maritime routes.
Large volumes of global oil exports move through the strait every day. However, heightened security risks have raised concerns for vessels transiting the region.
Thai transport minister says vessel was in neutral UAE waters as government reviews security
Later, Phiphat addressed questions about shipping security during his Government House briefing. Reporters asked whether additional measures were required for Thai cargo vessels.
However, Phiphat said the incident occurred near waters associated with the United Arab Emirates. Therefore, he noted that the vessel should not have been involved in active conflict. He emphasised that the UAE is considered a neutral country. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that security threats have appeared in the region.
For example, oil storage facilities in the UAE have recently been targeted by suicide drone attacks. Therefore, Phiphat said the issue would be reviewed carefully by the government.
Specifically, he said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would examine the matter further. Consequently, the incident will be discussed in the government’s situation monitoring centre. Additional updates are expected after the next meeting. The centre is scheduled to release further information on March 12.
Thai officials review shipping risks and confirm crew safety as regional tensions escalate
Meanwhile, reporters asked whether Thai ships should temporarily avoid the Strait of Hormuz. Phiphat responded that vessels already in the area were mostly ships docking in the UAE.
Therefore, those ships should not be directly involved in regional conflict. However, he acknowledged that access to the strait is currently difficult for some vessels.
Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas also commented on the incident. He said he had received initial reports that Thai citizens involved in the attack had been rescued.
Furthermore, he confirmed that Prime Minister Anutin had already received the report. However, Ekniti emphasised that the government’s priority remains the safety of the Thai crew.
Reporters also asked whether the attack could affect oil exports or energy markets. However, Ekniti declined to speculate about broader economic impacts. Instead, he said the immediate focus was the crew’s safety and rescue operations.
Shipping firm cites war risk insurance as Thai authorities continue rescue for trapped crew
He was also asked whether the government would reduce diesel excise taxes due to the Fuel Fund deficit. However, Ekniti said no decision had been made yet. Instead, officials were still discussing possible assistance measures. For now, he said the main support mechanism remains the Fuel Fund.
Meanwhile, Precious Shipping Plc, the operator of the vessel, issued a statement to investors. In its filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, the company confirmed the attack on the MAYUREE NAREE.
However, the company said the vessel was covered by war risk insurance. Therefore, the company does not expect the incident to have a material financial impact. Additionally, Precious Shipping confirmed that the vessel was sailing without cargo. Consequently, there was no cargo loss during the incident.
Thailand advises nationals to leave the Middle East as the US-Iran war escalates further
The company also stated that it continues monitoring security conditions in high-risk maritime areas. Furthermore, it said navigational risk management procedures will be reviewed when necessary.
Thailand advises all 77k nationals in the Middle East to evacuate the region as the US Iran war ratchets up
Neutralising the Iranian regime is the US goal as Thailand evacuates citizens and secures its reserves
Meanwhile, Thai authorities said rescue operations near the damaged vessel were continuing. Omani naval units remained deployed in the area. Their objective remains clear. Rescue the three crew members still trapped inside the ship.
Officials said further updates would be released after additional coordination among agencies. For now, twenty Thai crew members are confirmed safe. However, three sailors remain inside the damaged vessel as rescue teams continue their efforts.
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