UAE National Guard Rescues 22 Asian Crew from Burning Oil Tanker in Arabian Gulf

The UAE National Guard Coast Guard Division rescued 22 Asian crew members from an oil tanker that caught fire in the Arabian Gulf on October 10, according to statements from the National Guard reported by Khaleej Times, The National, Al Arabiya, and Arab News. The Coast Guard received a distress call from the tanker crew reporting a fire onboard, dispatched specialized teams that located the vessel and rescued all 22 crew members, who received first aid before transfer to relevant authorities. All rescued individuals were reported in stable medical condition. The National Guard statement did not identify the tanker, specify the fire's location within the Arabian Gulf, or disclose the cause of the fire.

Separate but contemporaneous reporting indicates the vessel was the Panama-flagged MT GEM NO. 2, which Indian authorities said was subjected to a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage on October 9. The UAE National Guard statement made no mention of an attack. Iran's IRGC claimed on October 10 that a separate crude-oil supertanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz while using an unauthorized route, though that claim named no vessel and remains independently unverified. The rescue demonstrates operational readiness as Gulf waters face heightened maritime security risks, where tankers have been subjected to projectile strikes, drone attacks, and reported mine threats in recent months as regional conflict disrupts commercial shipping.

Sources

Khaleej Times, October 10, 2026, khaleejtimes.com; The National, October 10, 2026, thenationalnews.com; Al Arabiya, October 10, 2026, english.alarabiya.net; Arab News, October 10, 2026, arabnews.pk; ANI News, October 10, 2026, aninews.in; Middle East Eye, October 10, 2026, middleeasteye.net; The National, October 11, 2026, thenationalnews.com