A bulk carrier has been attacked by multiple small vessels off the coast of Iran.

The UKMTO said the incident took place 11 nm west of the Iranian port of Sirik, at 11:30 hrs UTC, as the bulker headed north towards the Strait of Hormuz.

“The Master of a northbound bulk carrier has reported being attacked by multiple small craft. All crew reported safe and no environmental impact reported,” a UKMTO alert said.

Based on AIS tracking data from Pole Star Global the vessel attacked would likely be the Liberian-flagged bulker Minoan Falcon which was headed north around 11 nm west of Sirik the time of incident before switching off its transponder.

Iran has adopted a tactic of using swarms of small fast vessels to attack commercial ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. This was the method the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Navy used to attack and seize the container ships Epaminondas and MSC Francesca on 22 April and both vessels were initially guided to Sirik after being seized.

-- Agencies