Iranian air defences destroyed a US MQ-1 drone over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported on Friday.There was no immediate confirmation from the United States.
The claim follows an explosion believed to have been caused by a missile attack on an oil products tanker in the Gulf earlier on Thursday, killing one seafarer, the ship’s manager said on Friday.
The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MT Velos Sapphire was sailing unladen towards Bahrain when it was hit, Greek management firm Velos Tankers said in a statement.
“The company is greatly saddened to report the death of one of its seafarers, who was found fatally injured on board after having initially been reported missing in the aftermath of the explosion,” it said.
No other crew members were injured; the crew extinguished a fire on the ship caused by the explosion, and Velos Tankers added that there were no reports of pollution.
The vessel was taken to Bahrain’s Khalifa Bin Salman Port, and an investigation will be launched. Authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage to the vessel’s hull.
