An Indian crew member remains unaccounted for after a Cyprus-flagged container vessel was hit while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Cypriot authorities said on Monday. The ship, identified as the GFS Galaxy, sustained a strike from an unidentified projectile early on Sunday as it passed through the strategic waterway.
Following the impact, the vessel's crew abandoned ship in a lifeboat. The Oman Navy subsequently rescued 23 crew members, according to a statement from Cyprus's Deputy Ministry of Shipping. The ministry reported that the missing seafarer holds the rank of third engineer.
The damaged container ship is currently being towed toward the nearest safe anchorage at the port of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates. Cyprus's Deputy Ministry of Shipping said the towing team is actively conducting a search operation to locate the missing third engineer and recover any additional survivors if possible.
The episode unfolded in a broader security context. The U.S. military launched strikes against Iran after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, struck the Cyprus-flagged container vessel. In a separate statement, the IRGC's naval force said it had struck and stopped a vessel that had "jeopardized maritime security by switching off its systems." The IRGC added that the vessel, together with other ships, sought to transit via what it described as an unauthorised route despite warnings to correct course.
Authorities have not released additional details about the identity of the projectile that struck the GFS Galaxy or the precise circumstances that led to the vessel being targeted. The ongoing towing and search operation is focused on bringing the ship to sheltered waters at Khor Fakkan and determining the status of the missing crew member.
Context and next steps
Officials indicated the immediate priorities are to secure the damaged vessel at a nearby anchorage and to complete search efforts for the missing third engineer. The statement from Cyprus's Deputy Ministry of Shipping noted those actions are underway as the tow progresses toward Khor Fakkan.