LONDON, October 15, 2026 (DAILYNWZ) — Two cargo ships have sunk near the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by projectiles in separate incidents, killing at least one crew member and heightening concerns over the safety of commercial shipping through a waterway vital to global energy supplies.
The Singapore-flagged container ship *GFS Pride* sank on Tuesday after suffering damage and a fire while transiting the strait, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said. All 21 crew members were evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported.
The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier *Cape Dao* also sank near the strait, weeks after being struck by a projectile on September 23, according to data from the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations shipping agency. One crew member was killed in that attack, while the rest of the crew were evacuated, maritime sources said.
The two vessels are the second and third ships to have sunk since the war between the United States and Iran began on February 28, according to an analysis of the IMO’s casualty data.
The latest incidents come amid a surge in attacks around the waterway over the past 10 days. Iran has said it is intensifying strikes in response to a U.S. blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions introduced last month.
Singapore’s maritime authority expressed deep concern over continued attacks on commercial vessels, calling them “unprovoked, unjustifiable, and a breach of international law.”
Maritime risk management firm MARISKS said the incidents underscored the continuing threat to ships using the strait, warning that attacks were no longer confined to oil tankers but were also causing serious damage to container ships and bulk carriers.
The managers of both vessels, the United Arab Emirates-based GFS Ship Management FZE and Peonies Shipmanagement FZE, could not immediately be reached for comment.
The escalation has raised concerns over a route through which about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed before the war.
Since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, Tehran has sought to tighten its control over the strait by restricting maritime traffic, aiming to increase pressure on Washington.
Two senior Iranian officials told Reuters that Iran was increasingly using new tactics against vessels passing through the waterway, seeking to keep oil prices elevated and influence U.S. midterm elections.
Tankers have been the main focus of attacks by Iran and the United States, but other commercial vessels have also been targeted, disabled or sunk. In March, the Maltese-flagged container ship *Safeen Prestige* was hit by a projectile and later sank north of the strait. In April, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards attacked and seized the container ship *MSC Francesca*.
The latest sinkings underline how the conflict is spreading risks across commercial shipping, threatening a critical artery for global energy trade.