UK agency reports 11 ship attacks in Hormuz and Persian Gulf in a week

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said eight of the attacks occurred in the Strait of Hormuz and three in the Persian Gulf in the seven days to November 4. Three vessels continued their voyages, five required assistance and three sank, according to its weekly overview.

It said a dhow was hit by an unidentified projectile on November 2, killing one crew member, while local authorities rescued 13 others. A Panama-flagged supply vessel was struck on November 1 and reportedly sank after a nearby merchant ship rescued its crew, and a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker was hit by two unidentified projectiles on November 4, leaving it drifting and in need of assistance.

Combined Strait of Hormuz traffic reached 325 transits, 170 outbound and 155 inbound, compared with 277 the previous week, UKMTO said. It said traffic remained about 65 percent below pre-conflict levels, with around 80 percent of transits involving energy carriers. No attacks were reported in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb during the week, it added.