A Thai bulk carrier travelling in the crucial Strait of Hormuz was attacked Wednesday, with 20 crew members rescued so far, the Thai navy said.Photos shared by the Royal Thai Navy showed heavy black smoke rising from the back of the Thai-registered Mayuree Naree, with life rafts floating in the water.
The vessel "was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz" after departing a port in the United Arab Emirates, the navy said in a statement.
"The specific details and cause of the attack are currently under investigation," it added.
The Omani navy had rescued 20 sailors and "efforts are currently underway to rescue the remaining three crew members", it said.
It was not immediately clear whether the incident was one of three commercial ships that the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre earlier said had been hit in the Gulf on Wednesday.
Iran has launched strikes against its oil-exporting neighbours, threatening shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and plunging the global energy economy into crisis.
