A US-operated oil tanker’s crew faced a terrifying ordeal earlier this week when an assault by Iran set the vessel ablaze, forcing all 28 crew members into the sea in the dead of night. The ship’s owner shared this harrowing account on Friday, describing the incident as a “barbaric attack.”

SV Anchan, chairman of the New Jersey-based Safesea Group, reported, “Our preliminary discussions with the surviving crew suggest the attack was intentional and well-planned.”

Anchan detailed that the tanker, named Safesea Vishnu, was targeted while anchored in the Persian Gulf, near Khor Al Zubair, Iraq, just before midnight on Wednesday. At the time, approximately 53,000 metric tons of naphtha, a highly combustible petroleum product, were being loaded onto the ship.

He revealed, “Two unmanned explosive-laden boats collided with the vessel’s portside. This action reflects the extremist mentality of the Iranian regime.”

Anchan expressed his dismay over “unverified video footage” showing individuals “celebrating this savage attack with chants of ‘Allahu Akbar.’”

The Safesea Vishnu crew found themselves in an “extremely precarious position” during the assault, according to Anchan, as the fire blocked evacuation paths and another ship, from which it was receiving cargo, further complicated the situation.

“Lowering lifeboats on the port side became impossible due to the fire and damage,” he explained. “On the starboard side, a daughter vessel was double banked for cargo transfer operations, further restricting escape routes.”

“As the fire spread rapidly across the ship, the situation became desperate.” 

A “narrow window for survival” finally presented itself when the mooring ropes on the daughter vessel gave way, causing it to drift away from the Safesea Vishnu and giving the crew an opening to jump ship.  

“In those terrifying moments, all 28 crew members were forced to jump into the water to escape the burning vessel,” Anchan said. “Their courage and instinct for survival saved lives.” 

Rescue efforts quickly mounted by the Iraqi Coast Guard and local authorities prevented “a far greater tragedy.”

However, one crew member lost his life in the water. 

“The remaining 27 crew members survived and are currently safe,” Anchan said. 

Safesea Group chairman fumed that his seafarers “are increasingly being placed at risk” because of geopolitical conflicts. 

“These men and women are not soldiers,” Anchan noted. “They are not part of any military campaign. They are professionals who keep global trade moving — transporting the energy, food, and goods that sustain economies and societies around the world.” 

Anchan argued the attack on the Safesea Vishnu “must serve as a wake-up call for governments, maritime authorities, and the international community.”

“Commercial shipping lanes cannot become battle zones. Merchant vessels cannot become targets. And the lives of seafarers must never be treated as collateral damage.” 

At least 16 oil tankers, cargo and other commercial ships have been attacked in the Persian Gulf since President Trump launched military operations against Iran nearly two weeks ago, according to the New York Times. 

The US military has taken out dozens of Iranian mining ships – and on Friday bombed military installations on Kharg Island –  as part of an effort to prevent the regime from attacking shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf. 

Iran’s new supreme leader has vowed to close the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf in response to the US military action.