Human remains found on Thai ship attacked in Hormuz strait: firm / Photo: Handout - ROYAL THAI NAVY/AFP/File
Human remains found on Thai ship attacked in Hormuz strait: firm
Human remains have been found aboard a cargo ship struck by Iran while transiting the Strait of Hormuz last month, the vessel's owner said Friday, after three crew members were reported missing following the attack.
US-Israeli strikes on Iran late February prompted Tehran to respond by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for global oil supplies.
The Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was struck in March while travelling through the strait after departing Khalifa port in the United Arab Emirates.
"Certain human remains were found within the affected area of the vessel," a statement from transport company Precious Shipping said Friday, adding it could not yet confirm the identities or the number of individuals.
Twenty Thai crew members returned home in mid-March, while three of their colleagues were missing and presumed trapped in the damaged engine compartment.
A search was carried out under "challenging conditions" as the vessel's engine room had been flooded and damaged by fire, the company said.
Thailand's foreign ministry said it was "saddened" by the development and that families of the missing crew had been informed.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in March they had struck the Mayuree Naree, as well as a Liberia-flagged vessel, in the strait because the ships had ignored "warnings".
V.Valdez--ECdLR
