‘Iranian commandos’ Hijacked Tanker Off of UAE ‘but were foiled when crew disabled the engines – and fled when US warship approached’…

by Chris Pleasance at The Daily Mail

Armed Iranian commandos stormed an oil tanker off the coast of UAE but fled after the crew disabled the engines and allowed a US warship to catch up with them, it has been claimed.

The Panama-flagged Asphalt Princess was sailing 85 miles from the Emirati port of Fujairah on Tuesday when it suffered what the UK maritime safety agency called a ‘suspected hijack’. Hours later it said the incident was ‘over’, but gave no details.

Now, radio recordings and intelligence sources have given the first detailed account – revealing that ‘five to six’ Iranian commandos stormed the vessel and tried to divert it to a port in Iran.

But the plan failed when crew disabled the tankers’ engines, allowing American and Omani warships to catch up with her – at which point the Iranians fled…