Japanese oil tanker may have collided with submarine (Roundup)

Jul 29, 2010, 17:37 GMT

Abu Dhabi - Experts in the emirate of Fujairah on Thursday said a Japanese oil tanker thought to have been hit by an explosive may in fact have collided with a submarine.

The M Star was taking oil from Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates to Japan when what was thought to have been an explosion occurred off Oman on Wednesday, injuring one of the 31-member crew.

But on Thursday the director of the port of Fujairah, Mussa Murad, said the cause of the incident was still not clear.

It could not be ruled out that the ship had collided with a submarine or that a sea mine had exploded next to the ship, he said.

The ship's owner, Tokyo-based Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, had said Wednesday that 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).

The initial speculation about the possibility of a pirate or terrorist attack was strengthened because one of the seaman had reported hearing an explosion.

But shipping authorities in Oman and Iran ruled out an attack.

The ship, sailing under a Marshall Islands flag, was carrying 270,204 metric tons of oil, none of which leaked into the sea, the owners said.