Three Indonesian sailors remain missing after the UAE-flagged tugboat Musaffah 2 sank in the Strait of Hormuz, Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday. One Indonesian crew member was rescued and is receiving treatment for burn injuries at a hospital in Khasab, Oman.

According to the ministry’s statement, the vessel caught fire following an explosion before it went down. Local authorities have launched a search and rescue operation to locate the missing sailors. The cause of the explosion and subsequent sinking is under investigation by local officials.

The incident highlights ongoing maritime safety challenges in the busy Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, as authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding the tugboat’s loss.