UPDATE - Vessel catches fire, sinks near Strait of Hormuz: UKMTO

By Ikram Kouachi and Lina Altawell

ISTANBUL (AA) - A traditional wooden vessel caught fire and sank Thursday in the Strait of Hormuz, 9 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

The agency said the master of a third-party vessel initially reported seeing another vessel on fire in the area.

UKMTO later said regional authorities identified the vessel as a dhow that had been involved in a maritime security incident, triggering a large fire onboard.

The fire caused the vessel to list and subsequently sink, it added.

Local authorities confirmed that the crew had been evacuated.

UKMTO advised vessels to transit the area with caution and report any suspicious activity as authorities investigate.

The incident comes amid rising tensions between Iran and the US about navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy and commodity supplies.

In February, the US and Israel launched a war against Iran. Tehran responded with attacks on Israel and US targets in the region before a ceasefire agreement was reached in April.

Washington and Tehran later signed a memorandum of understanding in June concerning freedom of navigation in the strait, but implementation stalled on disagreements related to security in the strategic waterway as tensions continue to escalate.