‘You Gave Me Clearance, You Are Firing Now’: Distress Call From Indian Tanker Reveals Chaos After Firing Incident In Strait of Hormuz Shipping Corridor

STRAIT OF HORMUZ CRISIS: The Strait of Hormuz is home to the middle of the war between the US, Israel, and Iran as two Indian-flagged tankers were shot at in the Strait of Hormuz, causing two Indian-flagged tankers to turn back yesterday, bringing the waterway through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas flows. The firing did not result in any injury, nor was the ships damaged, it was reported. One of the tankers has now come out with a distress message, which contains the confusion which followed the firing.

Distress Call From Indian Tanker Reveals Chaos

In a 30-second audio clip posted by tanker-tracking firm Tanker Trackers, a crew member on board the crude oil tanker, Sanmar Herald, is heard attempting to communicate with the Iranian navy.

Sepah Navy. Sepah Navy. This is a motor tanker, Sanmar Herald. You gave me clearance to proceed. My name is second on the list. You are firing now. Let me turn back,” the person was heard saying.

American broadcaster NBC also said that the ship was in the Green Area of the strait, citing footage of the same shot by it. The tanker had also switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) when it was moving east but it was switched on the eastern side.

Indian-Flagged Ships Come Under Fire in Strait of Hormuz

The other ship that was fired on was the Jag Arnav. India called in the Iranian ambassador after the recent firing incident and made it clear that the situation is serious. The Foreign Secretary stressed how much India values the safety of merchant ships and their crews, reminding the ambassador that Iran had previously helped Indian-bound ships pass safely. 

The Foreign Secretary pressed the ambassador to relay India’s concerns to authorities in Iran and to restart the process of clearing the way for Indian ships to cross the Strait as soon as possible. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the ambassador agreed to pass on this message.

Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate With Reports of Gunfire

Right now, there’s a lot of confusion over how the strait is being managed. Iran doesn’t seem to have a unified approach, especially with the war going on. Just yesterday, Iran completely reversed its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, blaming a US blockade for breaking the ceasefire and causing several ships to turn back from this critical route.

On Saturday, Iran’s joint military command announced, “The control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state…under strict management and control of the armed forces.” That walk-back undoes Iran’s earlier promise to open the strait after a ceasefire was reached in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Middle East Conflict Spills Into Maritime Trade

Now, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards are warning ships: anyone trying to approach the Strait of Hormuz risks being labeled an enemy and targeted. This message came through the Tasnim news agency.

It’s a sharp contrast to what Iran’s Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, said just a week ago. He told NDTV that Indian ships would continue to have access, saying, “We have good contact with the [Indian] government for allowing their ships to sail through the Strait of Hormuz.” Now, everything’s up in the air.

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