Tanker off Syria suffers its second explosion in a year
Panama-flagged product tanker reportedly suffered an explosion off Syria on Tuesday.
The 45,908-dwt Wisdom 9 (built in 1999) has suffered its second explosion in a year, while at Latakia port in Syria.
A fire caused two casualties, according to security provider EOS Risk Group and the Jerusalem Post, which were both citing Syrian domestic media. EOS said the cause of the blast is unknown.
Three seafarers died aboard the vessel in April and the vessel reportedly suffered another fire in May. Syria’s oil ministry said the April incident was caused by a drone from Lebanon while the vessel was at the Baniyas oil refinery.
The ship was not identified as the Wisdom by Syrian authorities at the time, but Iranian news outlets blamed the fatalities on a welding accident.
The Wisdom appears not to have a direct connection to Iran and its registered owner is a one-ship entity called Wisdom Maritime Ltd. The ship’s technical manager is not known at this time.
Security analysts estimate that Israel has carried out a dozen attacks on shipping bound for Syria, most of which were carrying Iranian oil to the sanctioned country and the blast aboard the Wisdom may be the latest salvo in the ongoing low-level maritime conflict between Iran and Israel.
