The crew of a US-owned oil tanker faced a life-threatening ordeal earlier this week when an attack by Iran set their vessel ablaze, forcing all 28 sailors to leap into the waters at night, the tanker’s owner reported Friday.
According to SV Anchan, chairman of the New Jersey-based Safesea Group, the assault on the Safesea Vishnu appeared intentional and well-planned. “Based on conversations with the surviving crew, this was a deliberate, calculated attack,” Anchan said.
The incident occurred just before midnight Wednesday as the tanker was anchored near Khor Al Zubair, Iraq, in the Persian Gulf, while taking on approximately 53,000 metric tons of naphtha, a highly flammable petroleum product. Anchan described how two unmanned boats laden with explosives struck the vessel’s port side. “This reflects the extreme tactics of the Iranian regime,” he added.
He also referenced unverified video footage showing individuals celebrating the attack, chanting “Allahu Akbar.” At the time of the strike, the crew’s options for escape were severely limited. Fire blocked lifeboats on the port side, and a second vessel engaged in cargo transfer operations on the starboard side further restricted evacuation routes.
“As flames spread rapidly across the ship, the situation became critical,” Anchan said. Survival became possible only after mooring ropes on the adjacent vessel broke, creating a small window for the crew to abandon ship.
“All 28 crew members had to jump into the water to flee the fire,” he explained. “Their quick thinking and courage saved lives.” Iraqi Coast Guard teams and local authorities mounted rapid rescue efforts, averting what could have been a larger disaster.
One crew member, however, did not survive the ordeal. The remaining 27 are reported safe.
Anchan expressed frustration at the growing dangers facing commercial seafarers amid international tensions. “These men and women are professionals, not combatants,” he said. “They transport the energy, food, and goods that keep economies and societies functioning. They should never be targets in geopolitical conflicts.”
He urged governments and maritime authorities to recognize the threat to shipping lanes. “Merchant vessels cannot be treated as battlefields, and seafarers’ lives cannot be treated as expendable,” Anchan emphasized.
Since President Trump initiated military operations against Iran nearly two weeks ago, at least 16 commercial ships—including oil tankers—have been attacked in the Persian Gulf, according to the New York Times.
In response, the US military has struck dozens of Iranian mining vessels and targeted military facilities on Kharg Island to protect shipping routes. Iran’s new supreme leader has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for these actions.