A vessel caught fire and later sank in the Strait of Hormuz on the morning of October 29, 2026, approximately 9 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman.

The first report of the incident was received by UK Maritime Trade Operations — UKMTO from the master of another merchant vessel passing through the area.

At around 03:00 UTC, the master reported seeing a vessel engulfed in flames.

Early reports from maritime security company Vanguard Tech described the casualty as a tanker that had reportedly been struck by an unknown projectile and was largely submerged.

However, UKMTO later issued an update with revised information.

According to regional authorities, the burning vessel was identified as a traditional wooden dhow, rather than an oil tanker.

The dhow was reportedly involved in a maritime security incident, after which a major fire broke out on board.

The fire spread rapidly across the vessel.

As a result of the damage, the dhow developed a heavy list and eventually sank in the Strait of Hormuz.

The most important update concerns the crew.

While their condition was initially unknown, local authorities later confirmed that all crew members were successfully evacuated.

No injuries have been reported at this stage.

The exact number of people who were on board has not yet been officially disclosed.

There is also no confirmed information yet about the precise nature of the initial incident that led to the fire.

UKMTO has not confirmed that the vessel was struck by a missile, drone or any other specific type of weapon.

As a result, earlier reports referring to an impact from an unidentified projectile remain unconfirmed by the official UK maritime security service.

There is also currently no confirmed information regarding any environmental pollution.

UKMTO advised commercial vessels transiting the area to maintain heightened caution and report any suspicious activity.

The incident comes amid a sharp increase in threats to commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz during October.

Over recent weeks, there have been repeated reports of tankers, containerships and other merchant vessels being struck by unidentified projectiles, as well as fires and damage following various maritime security incidents.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, carrying a significant share of oil and gas exports from the Persian Gulf.

Following the October 29 incident, the dhow sank completely, but according to the latest UKMTO update, the crew was safely evacuated. The cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the maritime security incident remain under investigation.