UAE Says 22 Crew Rescued From Gulf of Oman Ship Fire

The UAE National Guard said its Coast Guard rescued all 22 crew members from a cargo ship fire in the Gulf of Oman on November 8, reporting that the Arab nationals were stable after receiving first aid.

The National Guard said the crew sent a distress report about the fire, prompting a rescue operation. Specialised teams located and evacuated them, and the crew were transferred to the relevant authorities. The statement did not identify the ship, disclose its flag or say what caused the fire or how much damage the vessel sustained.

The rescue was reported amid other maritime incidents in the region, but the available accounts do not establish that they involved the same ship. In particular, they do not confirm whether the burning cargo ship was the MV Huda, a St. Kitts-flagged vessel that US Central Command said it had disabled in the Gulf of Oman.

CENTCOM said a US military aircraft fired precision munitions at the MV Huda’s stern after its crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach the naval blockade against Iran. The command said the crew had been directed to leave the targeted areas and that the vessel had visited an Iranian port before trying to depart regional...