Ship seized off coast of UAE near Strait of Hormuz may have been 'floating armory': report

A vessel was seized disconnected the seashore of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) adjacent the Strait of Hormuz connected Thursday morning, the British subject reported.

The vessel was boarded and "taken by unauthorized personnel" portion it was astir 38 nautical miles northeast of the United Arab Emirates’ lipid export terminal Fujairah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported Thursday.

UKMTO spotted the vessel heading toward Iranian territorial waters aft the seizure, it reported Thursday.

British authorities did not merchandise accusation connected who the vessel belonged to oregon who seized it. Despite the deficiency of authoritative corroboration, the BBC reported that the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan was seized successful the Strait connected Thursday.

CARGO SHIP ATTACKED BY SMALL CRAFT NEAR STRAIT OF HORMUZ, UK MARITIME AGENCY SAYS

Ships are anchored successful the Strait of Hormuz disconnected Bandar Abbas successful confederate Iran connected May 4. A study connected May 15 said a vessel was seized disconnected the seashore of the United Arab Emirates and is being brought toward Iranian waters. (Amirhossein Khorgooei/ISNA/AFP)

Citing the risk-management institution Vanguard, the BBC reported that the ship's operators told Vanguard that the Hui Chuan was operating arsenic a "floating armory" for ships successful the Strait to support themselves from pirates.

A instrumentality vessel sits astatine anchor successful the Strait of Hormuz disconnected Bandar Abbas, Iran, arsenic a motorboat passes successful the foreground connected May 2, 2026. (Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP)

At slightest 2 different ships person already been seized successful the Strait of Hormuz since February.

IRAN SAYS ITS SMALL SUBS DEPLOYED TO STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS EXPERT EXPLAINS THREAT: ‘VULNERABLE TO DETECTION’

A cargo vessel sails successful the Persian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz connected April 22, 2026. (AP Photo)

In April, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized the Panamanian-flagged MSC Francesca and the Epaminondes ships successful the Strait.

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Fox News Digital contacted UKMTO and Vanguard for further accusation but did not instantly person a response.