Cargo vessel attacked in Gulf near Iraqi port: UKMTO

LONDON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A cargo vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile and suffered a large explosion while transiting deep in the Gulf, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Monday.

According to the UKMTO, the projectile hit the vessel's starboard side, triggering a significant explosion. No environmental pollution or other environmental impact has been reported so far.

The advisory did not disclose the vessel's name, nationality, or whether there were any casualties.

An image attached to the advisory showed that the incident occurred about 40 nautical miles southeast of Umm Qasr in southern Iraq.

The location lies deep in the Gulf, near the maritime area between Iraq and Kuwait. Enditem