Statement issued on suspected tanker hijacking off Oman coast

Muscat: The Ministry of Defence has issued a statement on the hijacking of a marine tanker in international waters of Oman Sea.

"An official source at the Maritime Security Centre stated that within the framework of the joint maritime action system and the existing coordination between the centre in the Sultanate and the centres in the region, continuous investigation is being made to follow up on what happened to the marine tanker named 'Asphalt Princess', which carried the flag of Panama in international waters," the ministry said in a statement.

The source said to the ministry that the Royal Air Force of Oman is conducting sorties near the site, and for its part, the Royal Navy of Oman has directed a number of its fleet ships to contribute to securing international waters in the region.

The source affirmed the Maritime Security Centre's keenness to ensure the safety of maritime navigation along with the rest of the centres in the region.