One hurt in explosion on Japanese tanker; cause uncertain (Roundup)

Jul 28, 2010, 16:21 GMT

Tokyo - An explosion occurred on board a Japanese tanker in the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday, the ship's owner said in a statement, with the cause of the blast still to be clarified.

One sailor was slightly injured in the blast on the M Star, which was sailing in the waters off Oman, Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd said.

There were differing reports on what had caused the explosion.

Mitsui claimed the ship's hull was damaged 'by an explosion which seemed to be an attack from external sources' at 00:30 am (2030 GMT Tuesday).

But Lebanese radio reports quoted Omani coast guard officials as saying the ship was hit by a tremor and they had no evidence of an attack. Iran reported an earthquake off its south coast, the reports added.

The director of the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah, where the ship is now headed, also told the UAE news agency WAM that the ship had been shook by an earthquake.

No oil had leaked from the tanker. 'The damage and its causes will be thoroughly investigated' in Fujairah, the company said.

The tanker is expected to arrive at 5 pm (1300 GMT), according to media reports.

The ship, sailing under a Marshall Islands flag, had loaded 270,204 metric tons of oil in a port on the UAE island of Das, the company said. The tanker was bound for Chiba Port in Japan with 15 Indian and 16 Filipino crew members.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and the United Arab Emirates and Omani exclave of Musandam, is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.