Two ships sink near Hormuz

Two commercial vessels have sunk near the Strait of Hormuz in separate incidents after being hit by projectiles, maritime officials said on Wednesday, raising the number of ships sunk in the globally strategic waterways to three since the US-Iran war broke out on February 28.

The Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride sank on Tuesday while transiting the strait after sustaining damage and catching fire, according to Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority. All 21 crew members were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported.

In a separate incident, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged dry bulk carrier Cape Dao sank near the strait weeks after being struck by a projectile on September 23, according to data from the International Maritime Organization (IMO). One crew member was killed, while the remaining crew were evacuated.

Attacks around the waterway have surged over the past 10 days, as Iran steps up strikes in response to a US blockade of its ports and tighter sanctions introduced last month. REUTERS