Japanese Ship Had Accident

An official at the UAE Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday that the Japanese oil tanker M Star, which was heading to Japan, had met with an accident on Wednesday while transitting the Strait of Hormuz, as a result of which it had to sail back to the Port of Fujairah. Director of Media Affairs and Government Communications at the Foreign Ministry Sultan Al Ali said in a statement that investigations by authorities to determine the causes of the accident are still underway. The statement further said that M Star, owned by Mitsui of Japan and flagged in the Marshal Islands, met with an accident, reasons for which are unknown. The vessel was transitting the Strait of Hormuz carrying two million barrels of oil loaded at Um Saeed, Qatar and Das Island, UAE. It arrived at the UAE territorial waters off Fujairah at 06:45pm on Wednesday.No casualties have been reported and there has been no oil spillage or pollution; the statement added. Director of Fujairah Port Musa Murad confirmed that the M Star had met with an accident. Addressing a press conference held at the port of Fujairah and attended by journalists from local and global media, Murad said that investigations are still underway to determine the real cause of the accident. Capt. M. Mathew of the oil tanker said that the damaged vessel did not cause any pollution and there was no injury to crew except a minor one to a Second Officer. In a letter on Wednesday, Matthew said the vessel is totally mobilised and moving under her own power without any assistance.