Ship SEIZED near UAE coast, UK military says
In a striking display of defiance, Iranian forces commandeered a vessel early Thursday morning, situated 38 nautical miles from the United Arab Emirates’ coast. This act of aggression unfolded against the backdrop of a high-profile meeting in Beijing between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where pivotal discussions on strategic maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, were underway.
The British military confirmed the seizure of the ship, which was operating near the UAE’s strategic Strait of Hormuz. According to reports from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), unauthorized personnel boarded the vessel while it was positioned approximately 38 nautical miles northeast of Fujairah, a key oil export hub in the region.
Following the incident, UKMTO observed the ship being redirected towards Iranian territorial waters. This development was highlighted in their report on Thursday, raising tensions in an already volatile maritime corridor.
While British authorities have withheld specific details regarding the ownership or the identity of those responsible for the seizure, the BBC has suggested that the vessel in question was the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan. This vessel was reportedly intercepted within the confines of the Strait, adding a layer of complexity to the unfolding geopolitical drama.
British authorities did not release information on who the ship belonged to or who seized it. Despite the lack of official corroboration, the BBC reported that the Honduras-flagged Hui Chuan was seized in the Strait on Thursday.
Ships are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran on May 4. A report on May 15 said a ship was seized off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and is being brought toward Iranian waters. (Amirhossein Khorgooei/ISNA/AFP)
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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