Limpet mines damage four tankers off Fujairah, UAE, in suspected Iranian sabotage attack
Incident Report
Fact Sheet
| Date | 12 May 2019 |
| Tracker | Strait of Hormuz Tensions |
| Type | Strike |
| Location |
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
25.12, 56.33 (approximate) |
What Happened
On May 12, 2019, four commercial vessels anchored off Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, were damaged in a coordinated sabotage operation: the Saudi-flagged tankers Al Marzoqah and Amjad, the Norwegian-flagged Andrea Victory, and the Emirati bunkering vessel A. Michel. Each ship sustained a hole below the waterline near the stern, consistent with limpet mines attached by divers. No casualties or oil spills were reported. A UAE-led investigation with US, Saudi and Norwegian input found a 'high degree of sophistication' pointing to a state actor without naming one; Washington later blamed Iran, which denied any involvement.
Measured Footprint
| Series | That day | Prior 30-day avg | Week after vs before |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transits | 59 -12% | 67.3 | -1% (451 → 448) |
| Tankers | 40 +1% | 39.6 | +3% (268 → 276) |
| Cargo ships | 19 -31% | 27.7 | -6% (183 → 172) |
Daily figures from IMF PortWatch around May 12, 2019; the day's value is compared with the trailing 30-day average. Week comparisons are shown only when the series covers both full weeks.
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Marker placed at city precision.
Activity Around the Incident
Commercial ship transits of the Strait of Hormuz, two weeks either side
Daily counts from IMF PortWatch; the highlighted bar is the incident day, May 12, 2019.
Incidents Around the Same Period
Nearest logged incidents
| Date | Type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Jun 2019 | Strike | Front Altair and Kokuka Courageous tankers set ablaze in Gulf of Oman attacks blamed on Iran |
| 20 Jun 2019 | Interception | Iran shoots down US Navy RQ-4 Global Hawk drone over Strait of Hormuz |
| 19 Jul 2019 | Interception | Iran seizes British tanker Stena Impero in Strait of Hormuz, retaliating for Gibraltar's Grace 1 seizure |
| 4 Jan 2021 | Interception | Iran seizes South Korean tanker Hankuk Chemi near the Strait of Hormuz |