Explosion reported on cargo vessel southeast of Iraq: UKMTO

Published June 1, 2026 Updated June 1, 2026 07:39pm

The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) has reported an incident southeast of Umm Qasr in Iraq.

“A cargo vessel was transiting in the Arabian Gulf when a large explosion [occurred] following a hit from an unknown projectile on the starboard side,” the agency says in a statement, noting that it is “unaware of any environmental impact at this time” and that the incident is under investigation.

“Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” it adds.

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