A vessel that has been doing its level best to look like a completely normal ship - while secretly serving as a floating gun safe for hire - has allegedly been seized by Iranian military personnel in the Gulf of Oman. The maritime risk management company Vanguard broke the news, and the UK's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed the ship is now "bound for Iranian territorial waters."
BBC Verify, using ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic, identified the vessel as the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan, which last broadcast its location 70km (40 miles) north-east of Fujairah in the UAE on Wednesday. Its operators told Vanguard it was functioning as a "floating armoury," storing weapons for security firms that protect ships from pirates. Because nothing says "maritime security" like a vessel that is essentially a gun store on water.
BBC Verify can't confirm what was actually on the ship or who used it, but the BBC has previously reported that such vessels park themselves in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Gulf of Oman so security guards can conveniently pick up and drop off weapons and ammo. Location data shows the Hui Chuan spent the last month loitering off the north-east coasts of Oman and the UAE, presumably waiting for someone to notice.
The apparent hijacking comes hot on the heels of an Indian-flagged vessel, the Haji Ali, which was attacked off the coast of Oman on Wednesday. According to Vanguard, the Haji Ali "reportedly sank" after a suspected explosion caused by a "drone or missile." Indian authorities confirmed all crew members are safe and thanked Omani authorities for rescuing them. The ship, which left Berbera Port in Somalia on May 6, was headed to Sharjah in the UAE carrying livestock when a fire reportedly broke out, forcing the crew to abandon ship before it sank. Fourteen crew members were transferred to Diba Port by the Oman Coast Guard.
India's Ministry of External Affairs called the attack "unacceptable," which is diplomatic shorthand for "we are not pleased."
Meanwhile, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz came up during talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. The White House said Xi "made clear China's opposition to the militarization of the Strait," and both sides agreed the Strait must remain open for the free flow of energy. Because nothing says "free flow of energy" like a floating armoury being seized by a country with its own nuclear ambitions.