Ship SEIZED near UAE coast, UK military says
In a bold move, Iranian forces commandeered a ship 38 nautical miles from the shores of the UAE early Thursday morning. This incident unfolded against the backdrop of a significant meeting between President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping in Beijing, where they were discussing strategic matters, including the critical Strait of Hormuz.
According to the British military, the vessel was intercepted near the UAE’s coastline close to the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday morning.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) disclosed that unauthorized individuals boarded the ship while it was approximately 38 nautical miles northeast of Fujairah, an essential oil export terminal in the UAE, on Thursday.
Following the takeover, UKMTO observed the vessel maneuvering towards Iranian waters, as reported on Thursday.
British officials have not disclosed the ownership of the ship or the identity of those who seized it. Despite the absence of official confirmation, BBC indicated that the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan was the vessel captured in the Strait on Thursday.
On May 4, vessels were seen anchored in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. A subsequent report on May 15 confirmed the seizure of a ship off the UAE coast, which is now allegedly being directed toward Iranian waters.
Citing the risk-management company Vanguard, the BBC reported that the ship’s operators told Vanguard that the Hui Chuan was operating as a “floating armory” for ships in the Strait to defend themselves from pirates.
A container ship sits at anchor in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, as a motorboat passes in the foreground on May 2, 2026. (Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP)
At least two other ships have already been seized in the Strait of Hormuz since February.
A cargo ship sails in the Persian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz on April 22, 2026. (AP Photo)
In April, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized the Panamanian-flagged MSC Francesca and the Epaminondes ships in the Strait.
Fox News Digital contacted UKMTO and Vanguard for further information but did not immediately receive a response.
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