Container Ship Believed Hit by Missile in Gulf of Oman Off Pakistan Coast

A container ship is believed to have been hit by a missile in the Gulf of Oman, off the coast of Pakistan, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing maritime security sources.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a report of an incident involving a container ship and military forces in the area. It later updated the vessel type from tanker to container ship.

According to initial assessments, the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova was struck while sailing through the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday, approximately 71 nautical miles off Pakistan’s coast, British maritime risk management group Vanguard and a maritime security source said separately.

The Gulf of Oman borders the southwestern coast of Pakistan. It links the Arabian Sea to the Strait of Hormuz and serves as a critical maritime and strategic waterway near key Pakistani ports such as Gwadar.

Further details on the condition of the vessel, its crew, or the origin of the reported missile were not immediately available.