Cape Dao Struck Off Oman as Three Ships Hit Near Strait of Hormuz in One Day

Three ships were struck by unknown projectiles near the Strait of Hormuz on September 23, with the Cape Dao taking the gravest hit: one crew member was killed and 27 others were evacuated after an attack 2.5 nautical miles off Oman's Musandam governorate.

The Cape Dao, an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged ship, caught fire in its engine room after the strike. An Omani naval ship evacuated the crew and provided medical care; the Omani Maritime Security Centre reported the incident without identifying a culprit.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed a separate incident the same day: a cargo ship was struck by a projectile in the strait, caught fire, and went adrift. All crew were evacuated; two sustained injuries. Security sources identified it as the LR Stephanie, an Isle of Man-flagged crude tanker. A Liberia-flagged LPG tanker, Al Maryah, was also hit while leaving the strait. Both continued without requiring towing.

The three attacks on a single day add to a grim running total. Two days before, a tanker hit by projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, two crew injured marked the previous attack. Earlier in the month, Iran's IRGC struck three tankers in mid-September, issuing destruction warnings for ships in the zone. The stretch of water has seen continuous pressure since the Iranian cargo vessel struck near Qeshm Island, one crew killed, which left four more wounded.

The IMO has now documented 80 attacks on merchant ships in and around Hormuz since February 28, with at least 22 seafarer deaths. September 23 extended that count.

MarineRadar data shows 125 devices actively watching the Qeshm County area in the past 48 hours, a 1.3x rise, while approaches around Ras al-Khaimah and the Musandam peninsula are drawing 194 devices. The figures reflect maritime professionals and ship operators tracking a chokepoint that has become one of the world's most dangerous transits.

No party claimed responsibility for the September 23 attacks by the time of publication. UKMTO issued a cautionary advisory urging mariners to report unusual activity.