UAE-linked tanker reportedly hijacked off Iranian coast Says British maritime security firm

A Panama-flagged oil products tanker with links to the United Arab Emirates has reportedly been hijacked near Iran, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey.

The incident is said to have taken place around 51 nautical miles northwest of the Iranian port of Bandar-e-Jask, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

An urgency signal broadcast from the vessel indicated that it had been "hijacked," Ambrey said on May 20.

The firm added that it believes the ship is part of Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet” — a network of vessels allegedly used to circumvent international sanctions.

Ambrey also noted that a sister vessel had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under its Iran sanctions programme.

By Aghakazim Guliyev