The UAE-linked Safeen Prestige sank following an Iranian attack, marking the first confirmed ship loss amid escalating regional tensions.
It has been reported that the container ship Safeen Prestige, linked to the United Arab Emirates, sank due to a fire caused by an attack organized by Iran. A maritime warning published approximately one month after the initial report of the attack confirmed the loss of the vessel. Thus, the incident has been recorded as the first confirmed ship loss amid the tensions with Iran.
The ship reportedly sank in an area near the northern tip of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. While the exact time of the sinking has not been disclosed, it has been reported that the maritime warning was published on April 1. The wreckage of the ship is estimated to be at a depth of approximately 120 meters. The incident is believed to have occurred about 6.5 nautical miles northeast of Ras Madrakah in Oman.
The published report included a warning that the container wreckage could be floating in the area and that findings related to an oil spill were present.
It was noted that Safeen Prestige was struck by at least one Iranian missile on March 4, and that the incident was one of the first casualties in the ongoing conflicts in the region. The ship was reportedly attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and was located approximately 2 nautical miles north of the Omani coast at the time of the attack. Initial reports indicated that a fire broke out in the engine room and that the crew abandoned the ship.
The vessel, built in China in 2013, was recorded to have a deadweight tonnage of 23,425 dwt and a total capacity of 1,740 TEU, including 345 refrigerated containers. It was noted that AD Ports Group purchased the ship in May 2022, but according to databases, it was sold to an Egyptian company in 2024 and operated through a leasing method.
Abu Dhabi Ports began operations in the Gulf under the name Safeen Feeders in 2020. The line connects Abu Dhabi with ports in the UAE, the Gulf region, and the Indian subcontinent, and was extended to the Red Sea in 2022 to include Saudi Arabia and Sudan.
Recently, images have emerged showing the ship engulfed in flames from stem to stern. Satellite images published by the United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) on March 18 showed thick smoke rising from a vessel believed to be Safeen Prestige. This development raised claims that the ship may have been struck a second time.
Two days after the ship was abandoned, AD Ports sent a tugboat on March 6 as part of salvage operations. However, the tugboat was also hit by a missile from Iran; it was reported that there were fatalities and injuries among the crew during the incident.
In a list published by Reuters regarding the wave of attacks that began on February 28, it was noted that a total of 22 maritime incidents were recorded in the Persian Gulf. Among these incidents were not only ships that were struck or damaged but also vessels that faced danger due to debris falling during air defense activities.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
