Cargo Ship Catches Fire in Gulf of Oman; UAE Rescues All 22 Crew Members Amid Rising Maritime Tensions

November 8, 2026

Abu Dhabi: A cargo ship caught fire in the Sea of Oman, with all 22 crew members rescued by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Coast Guard, the Emirates News Agency reported on Sunday.

The crew members, who were of Arab nationality, were in stable condition after receiving first aid, the report said, citing the UAE National Guard.

The rescued crew members were subsequently handed over to the relevant authorities.

The rescue operation was launched immediately after the UAE Coast Guard received a distress call from the vessel reporting a fire on board. The cause of the fire and the extent of damage to the ship were not disclosed.

IRGC Claims Two Oil Tankers Hit Naval Mines

Separately, the navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Sunday that two “violating” oil tankers attempting to pass through an “unauthorised” route in the Strait of Hormuz caught fire after hitting naval mines.

In a statement published on its official news outlet, Sepah News, the IRGC navy said one tanker struck mines east of the strait, while the other hit mines while crossing the waterway.

Both vessels had switched off their navigation and GPS systems and were burning following the explosions, the statement added.

The IRGC warned that any vessel cooperating with the “aggressive” US Army and entering the “unauthorised” area of the strait in defiance of Iranian regulations would “definitely” hit naval mines, Xinhua news agency reported.

US CENTCOM Says Cargo Vessel Disabled in Gulf of Oman

Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media platform X that its forces had disabled a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman after its civilian crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings and attempted to violate the naval blockade against Iran multiple times.

According to CENTCOM, a US military aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of the St. Kitts-flagged cargo vessel M/V Huda, disabling it after the crew was directed to abandon targeted areas.

The command said the vessel had attempted to leave regional waters after visiting an Iranian port.

The three developments come amid heightened maritime tensions in the region. However, the available reports do not establish that the cargo ship rescued by the UAE Coast Guard, the two oil tankers cited by the IRGC and the M/V Huda disabled by US forces were connected.