A ship of the French giant CMA CGM, attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. Several crew members were injured
French shipping company CMA CGM confirmed that its container ship “San Antonio” was the target of an attack on Tuesday evening, May 5, while crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
The company announced that the injured sailors were evacuated PHOTO: X Visegrad24
Several crew members were injured and the ship suffered significant damage as a result of the incident, according to a statement sent by the maritime operator and quoted by the international press.
The vessel, sailing under the Maltese flag, “was targeted while crossing the Strait of Hormuz”, stated the CMA CGM group.
The company said the injured sailors have been evacuated and are receiving medical attention.
“The injured crew members have been evacuated and are receiving the necessary medical attention,” the shipowner sent, stating that it is closely monitoring the situation and remains “fully mobilized with the crew”.
According to information published in the international press, among the victims are several Filipino citizens who were part of the ship's crew.
Initial assessments indicate that the container ship may have been hit by a projectile, suspected to be a ground-launched cruise missile.
Explosive tensions in the Strait of Hormuz
The attack takes place in a context of maximum tension in the region, after the escalation of the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important energy transit points in the world, being the route through which approximately 20% of the oil and liquefied natural gas transported globally circulate.
Since the outbreak of hostilities, commercial traffic in the area has been drastically reduced, with numerous shipping companies suspending transit for security reasons.
“The Freedom Project”, suspended after the attack
The incident comes shortly after the Trump administration launched “Project Freedom,” a security corridor designed to escort merchant ships stuck in the Gulf and facilitate passage through the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz.
However, even ships that complied with the new protection system continued to be at risk.
Recently, President Donald Trump announced the temporary suspension of the operation.
The US leader cited requests from Pakistan and other states involved in the mediation, as well as progress in negotiations with Iran.
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other countries (…) we have mutually agreed that while the embargo will remain in full force, Project Freedom will be suspended for a short period to see if the deal (with Iran) can be completed,” Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform.
