M. Star is a VLCC oil tanker operated by the Japanese company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. It was launched in December 2008.[1]
| History | |
|---|---|
 Marshall Islands | |
| Completed | 2008 |
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Crude oil tanker |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 333.00 m (1,092 ft 6 in) |
| Crew | 31 |
July 2010 event
editThe M. Star was damaged by an explosion on 27 July 2010, injuring one member of the ship's crew.[2]
The UAE initially said the M. Star was damaged by a "freak wave" from an earthquake.[3] Mitsui officials said, however, that they believed the explosion was caused by a terrorist attack.[4] In August, the UAE said the blast was probably caused by an attack, possibly a suicide bomber in a speedboat. Radar had picked up a suspicious craft near the tanker just before the attack, and traces of explosives were found on the hull.[5]
On November 22, 2010, the United States Maritime Administration confirmed that the blast was the result of a terrorist attack.[6]
References
edit- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Incident involving the VLCC M. STAR, west of the Strait of Hormuz". Archived from the original on 2010-07-31. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ Japanese tanker damaged near Oman
- ^ Japanese oil tanker damaged at mouth of Persian Gulf; cause unclear, shipper suspects attack
- ^ Terror theory backed by tanker ‘black box’
- ^ U.S. warns ships of confirmed terror threat CNN.com, November 22, 2010