By Junko Fujita TOKYO, June 14 (Reuters)– Two “flying objects” harmed a Japanese vessel possessed by Kokuka Sangyo Co in an assault on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman, yet there was no damages to the freight of methanol, the firm head of state claimed onFriday

The Kokuka Courageous is currently cruising towards the port of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, with the team having actually gone back to the ship after leaving as a result of the event, Kokuka President Yutaka Katada informed an interview. It was being accompanied by the united state Navy, he claimed.

“The crew told us something came flying at the ship, and they found a hole,” Katada claimed. “Then some crew witnessed the second shot.”

Katada claimed there was no opportunity that the ship, lugging 25,000 lots of methanol, was struck by a torpedo.

The United States has actually condemned Iran for striking the Kokuka Courageous and also an additional vessel, the Norwegian- possessed Front Altair, on Thursday, yet Tehran has actually refuted the claims.

See Also: UNITED STATE Military Says Video Proves Iran was Behind Tanker Attacks

The ship’s team saw an Iranian army ship around on Thursday evening Japan time, Katada claimed.

Katada claimed he did not think Kokuka Courageous was targetted since it was possessed by a Japanese company. The vessel is signed up in Panama and also was flying a Panamanian flag, he claimed.

“Unless very carefully examined, it would be hard to tell the tanker was operated or owned by Japanese,” he claimed.

The vessel was assaulted near the Strait of Hormuz, a significant calculated river where regarding one-fifth of worldwide oil intake hands down its means from Middle Eastern manufacturers consisting of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE and also Kuwait in addition to Iran.

“This strait is very crucial. Without this route we can not transport gasoline and heavy oil to Japan,” Katada claimed. “Unless another major incident occurs, as long as we get approval from our crew, we will continue operating our tankers via this route to Saudi Arabia.”

Japanese Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko claimed on Friday that the cases will certainly be gone over at a conference of G20 power and also setting priests this weekend break.

Seko decreased to talk about American authorities condemning Iran, stating Japan is still examining the event, which took place while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe remained in Tehran attempting to assist relieve climbing stress in between the United States and also Iran.

(Reporting by Junko Fujita; composing by Malcolm Foster; editing and enhancing by Richard Pullin and also Christian Schmollinger)

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