- Ambrey Confirms False Hijack Signal from Panama-Flagged Tanker.
- Maritime Security Firm Links Tanker to Iran’s Shadow Fleet.
- Distress Call Near Iran Deemed False Alarm by Ambrey.
A hijack distress signal that came from a Panama-flagged petroleum tanker off the coast of Iran turned out to be a false alarm, as reported by the British maritime security firm Ambrey, reports Reuters.
Incident Reported South of Key Shipping Lane
The alert was first raised by Ambrey on Tuesday, happening about 51 nautical miles northwest of Iran’s Bandar-e Jask, close to the busy Strait of Hormuz. The vessel was noted to have “UAE linked,” although its name wasn’t revealed at the outset.
Previous Similar Activity by the Vessel
By Wednesday, Ambrey clarified that the distress signal was not a real hijacking: “False hijack distress call,” the firm said, adding that it “understands that the vessel had previously conducted similar actions.”
Possible Link to Iran’s Shadow Fleet
Ambrey also noted suspicions that the vessel could be part of Iran’s so-called shadow fleet—a network of tankers allegedly used to circumvent international sanctions. The firm stated it “believed the vessel was part of a ‘shadow fleet’ of tankers used by Iran,” and added that “a sister ship was on a sanctions list issued by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).”
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Source: Reuters
