The UAE-managed containership Safeen Prestige has reportedly sunk following a fire that erupted after the vessel was struck by an Iranian missile on March 4 in the Strait of Hormuz. A maritime warning issued by NAVEREA IX on April 1 confirmed the sinking, marking the first vessel reported lost due to the ongoing hostilities in the region.
The ship went down near the northern tip of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, approximately 6.5 nautical miles northeast of Ras Madrakah, in waters about 120 meters deep. Reports indicate container debris may be floating nearby, and an oil slick has been observed.
MV Safeen Prestige, built in 2013 in China, had a deadweight of 23,425 tons and a capacity of 1,740 TEU, including 345 reefer plugs. The vessel was acquired by AD Ports Group in May 2022 and later sold in 2024 to an Egyptian company, operating under charter. It primarily serviced routes linking Abu Dhabi to ports across the UAE, Gulf region, and Indian Subcontinent, with an extended route to the Red Sea including Saudi Arabia and Sudan.
After the missile strike, the crew abandoned the vessel due to a fire in the engine room. Rescue efforts included a tug dispatched by AD Ports on March 6, which was also targeted by an Iranian projectile, resulting in casualties among the tug’s crew. Recent videos and satellite imagery, including data from United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), showed the vessel engulfed in flames, raising speculation that it may have been struck a second time.
The incident is part of a broader escalation in the Persian Gulf, where at least 22 maritime incidents have been reported since February 28, including vessel strikes, damages, and debris from missile interceptions.
