Syrian Sailor Documents Iraqi Tanker Explosion

Two foreign tankers carrying Iraqi oil were engulfed in flames near Umm Qasr Port, Iraq, after being hit by projectiles, according to news reports citing officials. Footage sent to Storyful by a Syrian sailor anchored off the coast early on Thursday, March 12, shows at least one ship alight in the distance. According to widespread reports, one person had died and Iraqi rescuers were evacuating sailors from the burning ships. Iraq’s director of the General Company for Ports, Farhan al-Fartousi told the Wall Street Journal Iraq had closed all of its oil ports and oil had spilled at sea. Footage circulating online shows crew members being rescued by a nearby boat as a large ship burns in the background. Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Company said in a statement on Facebook both tankers SAFESEA VISHNU, which is flying the Marshall Islands flag, and ZEFYROS, which is raising the flag of Malta, were attacked while they were in the bypass loading area within the Iraqi regional waters. “The management of Oil Marketing Company (SOMO) expresses its deep regret for the targeting of two tankers operating in Iraqi regional waters… This event negatively affects Iraq’s security and economy, and poses a threat to the safety of maritime navigation and oil activities in Iraqi regional waters.”