Saudi Arabian Border Guards: Iranian tanker captain says breakage caused leak

Saudi Arabian Border Guards: Iranian tanker captain says breakage caused leak
October 12, 2019, 10:28 am

Saudi Arabian Border Guards, the agency responsible for guarding land and sea borders of the Kingdom, said it had learned that a breakage in the front of the Iranian tanker in the Red Sea had caused an oil spill.

The agency said on Saturday that it received an email from Jeddah Radio which stated that the tanker's captain sent the station a letter informing them of the cause of the oil spill.

When the agency was trying to determine whether the vessel needed any assistance, the Border Guards noticed that the vessel had shut down its tracking system and was not responding to calls.

The Iranian tanker sailed south-west of Jeddah's port at 9.7 knots (11.2 mph), according to Saudi Arabian Border Guards.

Saudi Arabia reaffirmed on Saturday its commitment to the security and safety of maritime navigation, as well as its commitment to international agreements.

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