The crew of the bitumen carrier Asphalt Princess are reported to have disabled their ship’s engine to prevent armed gunmen from taking control and diverting it to Iran.
UK intelligence sources told British daily The Times that this common anti-piracy move kept the Glory International-managed ship in international waters until naval forces could arrive on scene to assist.
The “squad of heavily armed men”, which multiple intelligence sources have claimed were Iranian commandos, fled in small boats when US and Omani warships approached the stricken vessel.
