Image for representation purposes only The crew of a vessel abandoned ship after it was hit by an unknown projectile and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, leaving the vessel adrift as authorities investigated the incident, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. The crew was rescued by a tugboat after safely leaving the vessel. The fire was still burning, but UKMTO said there was no reported environmental impact. “The vessel was struck by an unknown projectile. The crew safely abandoned the vessel and have been recovered by a tug boat,” UKMTO said in an update. “The fire has not been extinguished and the vessel is currently adrift.” UKMTO first reported that the vessel was on fire about eight nautical miles northwest of Kumzar, Oman, based on information from a verified source. It later advised ships in the area to proceed with caution while authorities investigated. In a separate update on Tuesday, UKMTO said it had received several reports that a tanker had broadcast over VHF Channel 16 that it had been struck by an unknown projectile about eight nautical miles east of Limah, Oman. The agency said the tanker’s company security officer confirmed the crew had abandoned the vessel and boarded a lifeboat before being recovered by a tugboat. UKMTO did not identify the vessel, its owner, cargo, flag or destination. Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said two oil tankers trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz had exploded and were brought to a halt. In another statement on Tuesday, the Guards said rescue teams were evacuating the crews but did not identify the vessels. Reuters could not independently verify the IRGC’s statement, and it was not immediately clear whether the tanker reported by UKMTO was one of the vessels mentioned by the Guards. Tensions continue to affect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway between Iran and Oman that carried around one-fifth