Tanker strike reports off Saudi Arabia's Jubail; crew safe
The strikes were Friday, the notices came Saturday, and it is not clear they describe the same ship.
Key takeaways
A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, 68 nautical miles, about 78 miles, northeast of Jubail, Saudi Arabia, and the crew was evacuated, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said Saturday, Oct. 17.
The agency put the strike at 5 a.m. Eastern time and said the account reached it well after the fact, from the shipping company's security officer. All crew were safe, it said, and it reported no environmental impact at the time. The notice named neither the ship nor an attacker.
A second notice on Saturday relayed the master's report. A small boat, the master said, fired a rocket-propelled grenade at 3:22 p.m. Eastern time, damaging the rear left of the ship, 78 nautical miles, about 90 miles, northeast of Jubail.
The crew was accounted for and safe. The extent of the damage, and any environmental impact, were not yet known. The notice named no attacker.
Reuters said Saturday it could not immediately establish whether the two reports referred to the same incident.
"Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO while authorities are investigating," the agency said.
Off Jubail, not in the strait
AFP reported Saturday that the projectile strike was in the Gulf, hundreds of kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz. Around a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies typically pass through that strait, and it has been at the center of the Middle East war since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, AFP said.
Brent settled before either notice
Front-month Brent crude for December delivery settled Friday at $109.86, up $3.94, or 3.72%, Dow Jones Market Data said. In its Friday account, Reuters reported that close as the highest since May 19, after the contract touched $110 in the session for the first time since May. It tied the rally to worry that tension in the Middle East could tighten supply, and to doubt over how much diesel Russia can deliver.
The Intercontinental Exchange sets that settlement in a two-minute window starting at 7:28 p.m. London time, which on Friday was 2:28 p.m. Eastern. The projectile strike was at 5 a.m. Eastern, hours earlier, but the notice was not published until Saturday. The grenade attack the master reported was at 3:22 p.m. Eastern, after the window had closed.
Frequently asked questions
Was the crew safe?
Both notices said the crew was safe, and the first said the crew was evacuated.
Were the two reports about the same ship?
Reuters said it could not immediately establish whether the two reports referred to the same incident.
Did the strike happen in the Strait of Hormuz?
AFP reported the projectile strike was in the Gulf, hundreds of kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz.
Did Friday's Brent settlement reflect the notices?
The settlement window closed Friday before either notice was published, and the reported grenade attack came after it.
