Iranian Missile Strike Forces Abandonment of Container Ship in Strait of Hormuz
In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Persian Gulf region, a Malta-flagged container vessel was struck by what maritime authorities describe as missiles or projectiles—widely attributed to Iranian forces—prompting the entire crew to abandon ship amid raging fires. The incident occurred on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at approximately 1109 GMT, when the Safeen Prestige was transiting eastbound through the Strait of Hormuz, just two nautical miles north of the Omani coast. According to reports from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and British maritime risk management firm Vanguard Tech, the ship was hit by an "unknown projectile" just above the waterline, igniting a fire in the engine room. No environmental pollution has been reported so far, but the blaze rendered the vessel inoperable, forcing the 24-member crew to evacuate. Omani naval forces swiftly responded, rescuing all crew members who were reported in good health and receiving necessary medical ...