UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a tanker reported an external explosion on the vessel20s port side close to the waterline about 60 nautical miles off Muscat, Oman, on May 26, 2026.
UKMTO added that the vessel, identified as the Olympic Life, and its crew were safe, although the tanker reported some bunker fuel had been discharged into the sea and the cause was unknown.
What UKMTO received and how it described the incident
UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the explosion was reported on the tanker20s port side near the waterline, roughly 60 nautical miles off Muscat.
In the same communication, UKMTO said the Olympic Life and its crew were safe, and it said the cause of the incident was unknown.
Fuel discharge reported, while cause remained unconfirmed
The tanker reported that some bunker fuel had been discharged into the sea, even though UKMTO said the crew was safe.
UKMTO also stated that the cause of the incident was unknown, leaving the immediate driver unconfirmed at the time of the disclosure.
Vessel tracking placed the larger tanker near Muscat around 0700 GMT
MarineTraffic vessel-tracking data showed a Greek-owned Very Large Crude Carrier sailing past Muscat at around 0700 GMT, heading out of the Gulf of Oman.
The same MarineTraffic data indicated the Very Large Crude Carrier was not carrying cargo.
Olympic Life ownership details and lack of immediate comment
The vessel involved in UKMTO20s notification was identified as the Olympic Life, and the vessel was owned by Athens-based Olympic Shipping & Management.
The company is described as the successor to Olympic Management, founded by late shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, on the Onassis Foundation20s website, and it was not immediately available for comment.