The Strait of Hormuz witnessed a tense security incident on Friday when a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker designated as MT LOUISE 1, transporting 27 Indian nationals as crew members, was hit by limpet mines 46 km northeast of Oman’s Khasab according to the British navy agency United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, when a small craft covertly approached and attached two magnetic mines to the hull, causing explosions that ignited an engine room fire and temporarily disabled the ship, though swift action by the crew extinguished the flames with zero environmental impact and allowed the vessel to proceed with its voyage. Reuters noted that this is the first successful deployment of limpet mines in the strategic waterway since hostilities between the US and Iran erupted in February, driven by Iran’s efforts to enforce transit restrictions, project control, and pressure Washington through persistent attacks on merchant shipping. Explaining the nature of the threat, Greece-based maritime risk management group Marisks told Reuters that limpet mines, which have been used against tankers in the region since 2017, are inexpensive and readily available, making the tactic of small craft attaching them to transit vessel hulls both low-tech and exceptionally efficient. In the wake of these developments, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal reassured the public by stating that all Indian sailors involved in the incident are safe and unharmed.
