Qatari LNG carrier struck by unidentified objects in Gulf waters

DOHA — A Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier was struck by "unidentified objects" while sailing through Gulf waters on Friday evening, Qatar Gas Transport Company said on Sunday. The company, also known as Nakilat, did not say who was responsible.

The vessel, Al Mayeda, was involved in the incident, the company said in a statement published on the Qatar Stock Exchange. "None of the crew members onboard were injured, and there is no impact on the environment as a result of this incident," the company said. It added that the ship remained safe and operational.

Nakilat said it was assessing the impact of the incident. It said it remained in direct contact with relevant maritime security authorities in the region and was "continuing to closely monitor the situation."

Qatar News Agency, the state news agency, also reported the attack on Sunday. It said the vessel was in a "safe condition" and operational, citing the company. The report said there was no environmental impact.

An Arabic-language post on Telegram from the Al Jazeera Arabic channel repeated the company's account. The post said the Al Mayeda was in a safe condition and able to control its systems, and that no crew member had been hurt. The post was not independently confirmed by the broadcaster in the material reviewed for this report.

Why it matters

The attack affects a ship that carries LNG, a key export for Qatar. Crew safety and the vessel's ability to keep operating are the immediate concerns in the company's statements. No damage to the environment has been reported.

Background

Arab News reported that the Middle East war broke out in February. Since then, Iran has been targeting vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf in an effort to assert control over shipping, according to the same report. Arab News did not give further detail on those attacks in its report.

Qatar has been a mediator in the war. Arab News reported that Qatar has stepped up diplomatic efforts in recent days in an attempt to revive negotiations between the United States and Iran.

What is not yet known

No source reviewed for this report named the party behind the attack. Anadolu Agency and Arab News both described the objects only as "unidentified." Neither the company nor the state news agency gave a location, a time more precise than Friday evening, or details of the damage to the ship.

Arab News linked the incident to wider tensions involving Iran. The company's statements did not make that link. Nakilat has not said whether it will change routes or suspend shipping in the area.

Further statements from Nakilat or regional maritime security authorities were not available at the time of publication.