Shipping sources reported that the crew of the Maltese container ship Safeen Prestige abandoned ship after it was damaged by a projectile as it sailed towards?the top of the Strait of Hormuz? on Wednesday.

Vanguard, a British maritime risk management company, said that the vessel was struck at 1109 GMT while it was?transiting in eastbound transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

The vessel was hit by an unknown projectile above the waterline. This caused a fire to start in the engine room. Vanguard reported that no environmental impact had been observed?at this point.

The British Navy 'agency, UKMTO' reported that it received a report about a container ship being struck by an unknown projectile. The crew reportedly abandoned the vessel without any reported injuries. Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Renee Maltezou and Andrew Heavens

(source: Reuters)