Something happened to the Japanese oil tanker M Star as it passed through the strategic Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman last night. While CNN and others are reporting that the U.S. Fifth Fleet and Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism say there was an explosion onboard, officials in Oman and Iran claim that a wave caused by an earthquake struck the vessel.
A quick scan of USGS-recorded earthquake data shows no sign of an earthquake in the region last night.
If it was an explosion Japanese officials say there is a possibility it was an "outside attack". The ship was headed to Fujairah in the UAE for inspection.
Source: Planet Data
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