The sinking of the GFS Pride in the Strait of Hormuz raises security concerns as small boats collect drifting cargo from the incident.
The cargo spilled into the sea after the sinking of the Singapore-flagged GFS Pride container ship in the Strait of Hormuz on October 14 has led to a new security issue in the region. Reports have emerged that small boats are collecting the containers and commercial products drifting on the water's surface.
In images shared on social media, numerous small boats can be seen gathering around the containers in the sea and attempting to retrieve the boxes on the water's surface. However, it has not been independently verified that all the images are related to the GFS Pride incident.
According to a statement from the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority, the GFS Pride, with a capacity of 2,824 TEU, was damaged after being hit during its passage through the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in a fire on board.
In the incident that led to the sinking of the ship, all 21 crew members were safely evacuated. No injuries were reported.
Following the sinking of the ship, it was reported that containers and various cargoes were drifting on the water's surface.
Pakistani maritime authorities have warned vessels in the area about the floating containers. In particular, containers that are partially submerged at water level pose a collision risk for navigating ships and small boats.
Satellite images from October 14 also detected scattered containers and various objects in the area where the ship sank.
After the incident, some fishing and small rescue boats departing from the Iranian shores were reported to have gone to the area to collect the commercial products spilled into the sea.
Reports in the international press claimed that among the collected products were mobile phones, perfumes, and various consumer goods.
However, the exact cargo manifest of the ship has not been made public. Therefore, there is no independently verified comprehensive information regarding the types and quantities of the products spilled into the sea.
Following the GFS Pride incident, numerous images claiming to show floating mobile phone boxes and luxury consumer goods have circulated on social media.
Verification efforts have been made regarding some of these images, suggesting that they may have been generated by artificial intelligence or associated with different incidents.
As a result, news about cargo being collected from the sea and the authenticity of every photo and video shared on social media are being evaluated separately.
The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, holds strategic importance for international energy and trade transportation.
Attacks on commercial vessels in the region pose risks not only to the safety of ships and crews but also to the marine environment.
The cleanup of containers, packaging materials, and other cargoes spilled into the sea from sunken ships is crucial for restoring navigational safety.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
