Trump administration providing ‘false’ information about Gulf of Oman attack, says Japanese tanker owner
The owner of the Japanese tanker attacked on
Thursday said US reports have provided “false” information about what happened
in the Gulf of Oman.
The ship operator said “flying objects” that may
have been bullets were the cause of damage to the vessel, rather than mines
used by Iranian forces, as the US has suggested.
Yutaka Katada, chief executive of the Japanese
company operating the ship called Kokuka Courageous, one of two vessels
attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, said the damage could not have
been caused by mines or torpedos that are shot underwater, since the damage was
reportedly above the ship’s waterline.
“It seems that something flew towards them. That
created the hole, is the report I’ve received,” Mr Katada said at a press
conference in Tokyo on Friday, the Financial Times reported. Mr Katada also
described reports of a mine attack as "false" according to several
outlets in attendance at the press conference.
Donald Trump’s administration has meanwhile insisted
the attacks were carried out by Iran, which has denied having any involvement
in either of the two incidents.
The US released video shortly after that it said
showed Iranian Revolutionary Guard officials removing what was likely an
unexploded limpet mine from the Kokuka Courageous. The US also said the ship
was abandoned after an “initial explosion.”
The White House has singled out the Iranian
Revolutionary Guard in recent months under Mr Trump, taking the rare step of
classifying a foreign government entity as a terror group.
The Kokuka Courageous and another Norwegian-operated
vessel were ablaze for hours in the Gulf on Thursday. The owner's of the other
vessel, the Front Altair, have not yet provided an explanation of what they
believe to be the cause of the damage.
The entire 21-person crew evacuated the Kokuka Courageous.
Sailors reported seeing the “flying objects” from the vessel before the
incident occurred, according to Mr Katada.
