Iran Seizes Two MSC-Linked Ships in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s IRGC has reportedly seized two MSC-linked container ships after armed incidents in the Strait of Hormuz on April 22, The Maritime Telegraph said. Three vessels were targeted while transiting the strait. The first was fired on near Oman by an IRGC gunboat without prior warning, suffering damage to its bridge but reporting no casualties.
AIS data later showed the MSC Francesca turning toward Iran, where it is believed to have been intercepted and taken over. A second ship, the Epaminondas, was also fired upon near Iran’s coast and later stopped. Iranian authorities say it was seized and escorted into territorial waters. A third vessel, the Euphoria, was hit but allowed to continue toward the UAE.
Iran says the ships violated navigation rules and lacked authorization, warning against any disruption in the strait, which it considers under its control. The incidents follow rising tensions after U.S. naval actions against Iranian-linked vessels in the region.
