27 Feb 2021 / 00:28 H.
By Lisa Barrington
DUBAI, Feb 26 (Reuters) - An Israeli-owned ship, the MV HELIOS RAY, was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman overnight Thursday and a U.S. defence official said the blast left holes in both sides of the vessel's hull. The cause was not immediately clear.
The vehicle-carrier ship is owned by a Tel-Aviv based company called Ray Shipping through a company registered in the Isle of Man, according to a U.N. shipping database.
"Investigations are ongoing. Vessel and crew are safe," the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in an advisory notice on Friday. It urged vessels in the area to exercise caution.