Two Filipino sailors died when an Iranian security incident struck the Saudi oil tanker SIDR in the Strait of Hormuz late on Monday, August 31, 2026. National shipping company Bahri confirmed the fatalities, while maritime security agencies and regional authorities tracked escalating hazards in the vital waterway.
The Fatal Incident Aboard the Tanker SIDR
The security incident occurred at approximately 11:40 p.m. local time (2040 GMT) on Monday, August 31, 2026, as the supertanker SIDR was transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Owned by Saudi Arabia’s national shipping company, Bahri, the vessel was one of two supertankers carrying Saudi oil reported to have been hit late on Monday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Tanker was one of two hit off Oman late on Monday, and the SIDR was passing through the strategic waterway earlier this week.
Bahri issued a statement confirming the deaths of two crew members. It is with profound sadness that Bahri confirms the loss of two of its Filipino seafarers as a result of the incident,
the company said in a statement. Two of our seafarers, both Filipino nationals, lost their lives as a result of this incident,
the company added. The shipping firm did not provide details about the nature or cause of the incident. On August 31, maritime security agency UKMTO said a tanker had reported being struck by three unknown projectiles while outbound through the Strait of Hormuz.
The company extends its deepest condolences and sincere sympathies to the families, relatives, and colleagues [of the two Filipino seafarers] during this difficult time, and offers full support to the affected families and colleagues,
Bahri stated. The safety and well-being of Bahri employees remain at the top of its priorities, and the company is committed to operating in accordance with the highest standards of safety, security, and environmental protection,
the company stated.
Official Reactions and Regional Security Warnings
The kingdom stressed the necessity of halting escalations, and respecting international maritime safety and the security of global energy supplies,
the Saudi foreign ministry said. Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest crude exporter. About one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade used to pass through the Strait of Hormuz before the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28.
Meanwhile, divergent explanations emerged from military authorities regarding the hazards in the corridor. Also on Wednesday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said that two oil tankers hit sea mines and were disabled while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The statement said the tankers had been forced to disembark their crews and were placed in the hands of US operatives to pass through what it called an “illegal route” in the strategic waterway, despite earlier warnings from the Guards’ navy about the dangers of crossing the mined passage.
Broader Maritime Pressures Across Gulf and Red Sea Lanes
Tehran has threatened tankers attempting to sail through the narrow waterway without authorisation, impeding energy exports from neighbouring oil-rich Gulf countries. Bahri vessels have previously been hit off Oman and in Red Sea.
In July, another Bahri vessel, the Wedyan supertanker, was hit while passing through the strait close to Oman’s coast. Two other Bahri vessels, Masa (or MASA) and Amzan (or AMZAN), were attacked in the Red Sea in July and August after the Iran-backed Yemen’s Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.
Corporate Coordination and Ongoing Monitoring
Bahri officials stated that the corporation is maintaining open communication lines with the stricken vessel while working alongside maritime industry stakeholders. Bahri remains in continuous contact with the vessel and is coordinating closely with the relevant authorities and maritime industry stakeholders, while continuing to closely monitor developments,
the company said in a statement. Reporting was handled by Nayera Abdallah and Jana Choukeir, with writing by Nayera Abdallah and editing by Louise Heavens and Aidan Lewis.
