‘Mayday, mayday…’: Distress call reveals moments after Qatari LNG tanker hit in Strait of Hormuz

“Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is vessel Al Rekayyat, LNG vessel Al Rekayyat. We are being hit by a drone on the port side, top of engine room.” This dramatic distress call was sent out by a Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker after coming under drone attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to a recorded radio transmission reviewed by Reuters, in the first reported strike on a Qatari LNG carrier since the Iran war began.

The incident highlighted the continuing risks to commercial shipping despite an interim US-Iran agreement aimed at restoring safe navigation through the strategic waterway.

The development is being closely watched in India, which imports a significant share of its crude oil and LNG through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest energy shipping routes.

A Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker was also damaged near Oman’s coast in what maritime sources described as a separate incident, according to the report. The attacks came amid reports that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired at least two missiles at commercial ships in the Strait overnight.

Qatar has held Iran “fully legally responsible” for the attack on the carrier, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari describing the incident as an attack on international navigation and global energy security. In a post on X, Al-Ansari called the strike “a grave and explicit violation” of international law, particularly rules guaranteeing freedom of maritime navigation and safe passage through international straits.

“We demand that the Islamic Republic of Iran immediately cease all practices that harm regional security or threaten the safety of international navigation,” he said, adding that Qatar held Tehran “fully legally responsible” for the attack and “any damages and repercussions that may result from it.”

The targeting of the Qatari vessel “Al-Rekayyat” while transiting near the Strait of Hormuz constitutes an unacceptable attack on the security & safety of international maritime navigation, the security of global energy supplies, & a grave & explicit violation of international…

— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) July 7, 2026

Al Rekayyat was also at risk of exploding due to a ⁠fire caused by the attcak ​in its engine room, a source briefed on ​the incident ​told Reuters ⁠on Tuesday.

LNG carrier sends distress call

The Al Rekayyat, carrying liquefied natural gas from Qatar, was struck on its port side while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, maritime sources told Reuters. Crew members were reported safe and were being evacuated, but the engine room caught fire and filled with smoke, making it difficult to immediately determine the full extent of the damage.

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“Mayday mayday mayday. This is vessel Al Rekayyat, LNG vessel Al Rekayyat. We are being hit by drone on port side, top of engine room,” the Rekayyat’s captain was heard as saying. “Status: engine room fire and full of smoke. Unable to assess further damage.”

The vessel is reportedly owned and managed by Nakilat (Qatar Gas Transport Company Ltd), one of the world’s largest LNG shipping operators. Shipping data from LSEG showed the tanker last transmitted its location on June 18, indicating it had been sailing with its transponders switched off.

The second vessel, believed to be the Saudi supertanker “Wedyan”, also sustained damage off the coast of Oman, although maritime security sources said the exact cause was not immediately known. The vessel is owned and managed by Saudi shipping company Bahri, the report said. The companies and relevant government authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Missile strike reports

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard fired at least two missiles at commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night. Two commercial ships suffered significant damage, but no casualties were reported, according to a US official cited by Axios.

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One maritime source told Reuters that Al Rekayyat’s reported position matched an advisory issued earlier by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), indicating it was the tanker referred to in the warning.

UKMTO had reported that a southbound tanker about eight nautical miles east of Limah, Oman, was struck on its port side by an unidentified projectile, sparking a fire. Authorities said there were no casualties or environmental damage and an investigation was underway.

Shipping risks persist despite ceasefire

The latest attacks come weeks after Washington and Tehran signed an interim memorandum of understanding (MoU), under which hostilities were paused for 60 days while negotiators sought a permanent agreement. Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz formed one of the key provisions of the deal. However, Reuters reported that a fresh round of indirect talks held in Qatar last week ended with no sign of headway towards a lasting settlement.

The Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, previously carried about one-fifth of global oil shipments, making it one of the world’s most strategically important energy corridors.

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The latest tensions follow the expiry of a temporary one-week arrangement governing shipping through the Strait. Tehran has continued insisting that commercial vessels use routes approved by Iranian authorities, while the United States and Oman have backed an alternative international shipping corridor, leaving operators uncertain over which route offers the safest passage.

One maritime source was cited by Reuters as describing the dilemma: “Now if we use the 100% safe Iranian waters, it means we are dealing with Iranians and admitting the Strait is under their control. If we pass through the US-Oman controlled channel, then you get hit.”

“The US gives you permission to pass, but if something happens on the way, they then say, ‘it is your decision to keep moving or go back’,” the source added.

The renewed attacks are expected to deepen uncertainty for global shipping companies already grappling with elevated war-risk insurance premiums and fragmented shipping routes. They also cast fresh doubt over the durability of the US-Iran understanding, with commercial traffic through the Strait continuing under heightened military and geopolitical risk despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.