Container ship sinks near Hormuz after being hit by projectile, sources say

Jerusalem Post/Middle EastThe loss of the GFS Pride marks the second vessel to sink since the US-Iran war began on February 28, according to data from the UN shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization.Follow us on GoogleVessels transit the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of the port city of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran on September 5, 2026; illustrative(photo credit: ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images)OCTOBER 14, 2026 16:14A container ship has sunk near the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile, while a separate dry bulk carrier damaged in an earlier attack is also reported to be sinking, maritime security sources said on Wednesday.The Singapore-flagged GFS Pride container ship, with a small 2,824 TEU (20-ft equivalent unit) capacity, had sunk, the sources said."Commercial vessel 'GFS PRIDE' reported sunk with floating containers ... mariners cautioned," the Hydrographer of Pakistan said in a navigational warning to ships dated October 14.The vessel's United Arab Emirates-based manager, GFS Ship Management FZE, could not be immediately reached for comment.The loss of the GFS Pride marks the second vessel to sink since the US-Iran war began on February 28, according to data from the UN shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization.A view of shipping containers near a docked container ship at the Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT), which has seen increased vessel traffic amid disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, in Aqaba Tuesday, 1st September 2026 (credit: REUTERS/ALAA AL SUKHNI)Separate container ship reportedly sinking after failed rescue attemptIn a separate incident, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged Cape Dao was reported to be sinking close to the strait after being struck by a projectile on September 23, the sources added.The vessel's UAE-based manager, Peonies Shipmanagement FZE, could not be immediately reached for comment."The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier CAPE DAO, originally hit on 23 September, is reported to be sinking after an unsuccessful rescue attempt," British maritime risk management group Vanguard said in a note on Wednesday.Iran is deploying new tactics to target ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz as it seeks to keep oil prices high and influence the US midterm elections, two senior Iranian officials told Reuters.Follow us on Google