Central Command Releases Timeline of Mine Attack in Gulf of Oman
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Central Command has published a
timeline of the June 13 attacks on two commercial tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
The two motor tankers, the Norway-flagged M/TAltair and the Japan-flagged M/T Kokuka Courageous, were
apparently damaged by limpet mines placed on their hulls. Ships and P-8
aircraft of the U.S. 5th Fleet responded to the incidents to render assistance
and to investigate who launched the attacks.
Secretary of State Michael
Pompeo later blamed Iran for the attacks, according to a June 13 report in
Politico. “These attacks are a threat to international peace and security,
a blatant assault on the freedom of navigation and an unacceptable escalation
of tension by Iran,” he is quoted as saying by the Politico report.
Pompeo said his assessment
was based “on intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to
execute the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping and the fact
that no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to
act with such a high degree of sophistication,” Politico reported.
The incidents followed covert attacks on May
12 on four tankers in the waters of the United Arab Emirates, apparently also
with limpet mines.
The following is a timeline of the June 13 attacks
provided by Capt. Bill Urban of U.S. Central Command public affairs:
- U.S. Naval forces in the region received two separate distress
calls at 6:12 a.m. local time from the Altair and a second one at 7 a.m. from Kokuka
Courageous. - Both vessels were in international waters in the Gulf of Oman about
10 nautical miles apart at the time of the distress calls. USS Bainbridge was about
40 nautical miles away from Altair at the time of the attack and immediately
began closing the distance. - At 8:09 a.m., a U.S. aircraft observed an Iranian Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps Hendijan-class patrol boat and multiple IRGC fast attack
craft/fast inshore attack craft (FAC/FIAC) in the vicinity of Altair. - At 9:12 a.m., a U.S. aircraft observed the FAC/FIAC pull a raft
from the Altair from the water. - At 9:26 a.m., the Iranians requested that the motor vessel Hyundai
Dubai, which had rescued the sailors from the Altair, turn the crew over to the
Iranian FIACs. The Hyundai Dubai complied with the request and transferred the
crew of the Altair to the Iranian FIACs. - At 11:05 a.m. local time, USS Bainbridge approached the Dutch tug
Coastal Ace, which had rescued the crew of 21 sailors from the Kokuka
Courageous who had abandoned their ship after discovering a probable unexploded
limpet mine on their hull following an initial explosion. - While the Iranian Hendijan patrol boat appeared to attempt to get
to the tug Coastal Ace before Bainbridge, the mariners were rescued by Bainbridge
at the request of the master of the Kokuka Courageous. The rescued sailors are
currently aboard Bainbridge. - At 4:10 p.m., an IRGC Gashti-class patrol boat approached the Kokuka
Courageous and was observed and recorded removing the unexploded limpet mine
from the Kokuka Courageous.
“The U.S. and our partners in the region will
take all necessary measures to defend ourselves and our interests,” Urban said.
“Today’s attacks are a clear threat to international freedom of navigation and
freedom of commerce. The U.S. and the international community stand ready to
defend our interests, including the freedom of navigation. The United States
has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East. However, we
will defend our interests.”