On 10/10, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Pham Thu Hang announced at a regular press conference that the report of the "NV Sunshine tanker being attacked" was false. Earlier that morning, Nhat Viet Transport Joint Stock Company (NVTrans), the vessel's owner, had issued an official statement confirming the information was untrue.
According to Hang, the NV Sunshine was not attacked and is operating safely and normally. NVTrans maintains regular contact with the vessel to monitor its operational status. The Vietnamese Embassy in Iran is closely coordinating with local authorities to ensure maximum security and safety for the vessel and its Vietnamese crew while navigating the area.
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The NV Sunshine vessel. Photo: NV-Trans |
The NV Sunshine vessel. Photo: NV-Trans
The rumor stemmed from an announcement by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on 9/10. The IRGC claimed it had "attacked a large liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker named NV Sunshine owned by NatWit" for allegedly attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz via the southern corridor, a route they consider "illegal". This announcement led to speculation on social media that the attacked vessel was NVTrans's NV Sunshine.
On 10/10, NVTrans released a statement in both Vietnamese and English, reiterating that the NV Sunshine "was not attacked and is operating normally". The company urged organizations and individuals to exercise caution when receiving and sharing information, to avoid spreading false or unverified content that could cause unnecessary negative impact.
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Shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Graphic: CNN |
Shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Graphic: CNN
The incident occurs amidst heightened tensions in the region. After being attacked by the United States and Israel on 28/2, Iran launched retaliatory operations, targeting military and energy infrastructure in the Middle East with missiles and drones. Tehran has also almost completely blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which about 20% of the world's crude oil passes.
Iran has stated that non-hostile vessels can transit the strait if they coordinate with Tehran and comply with published security regulations. Iranian officials require vessels to provide advance notification and use the northern shipping lane, close to Iran's coast. Tehran has declared it will not guarantee safety for vessels that fail to meet these requirements.
Nhu Tam - Lan Huong
