Boxes of iPhones and luxury perfume bottles were purportedly seen floating in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship sank following an attack, with videos circulating on social media showing people in small boats collecting goods scattered across the water.
The Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride, managed by a United Arab Emirates-based company, sank on Wednesday after reportedly being struck by a projectile and catching fire near the strategically important waterway.
All 21 crew members aboard the vessel were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported, according to Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority.
The viral footage, whose authenticity and connection to the sinking could not be independently verified, appeared to show packages containing smartphones and expensive perfumes floating alongside other cargo.
Several small boats were also seen approaching the floating goods, with people apparently attempting to retrieve merchandise from the sea.
The incident has attracted widespread attention online, even as the sinking highlights growing dangers to commercial shipping amid escalating hostilities involving Iran and the United States.
๐๐ฃ๐ต๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐, ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ
Videos circulating on social media purportedly showed boxes of iPhones, packets containing luxury perfume bottles and other merchandise floating near the location of the sunken vessel.
People travelling in small boats were seen collecting some of the goods from the water.
Initial reports suggested that the GFS Pride had been transporting commercial cargo from Dubai when the incident occurred.
Some reports claimed that the vessel was carrying approximately 2,500 containers, including electronic products and perfumes.
However, the precise cargo manifest has not been independently established, and there is no confirmed evidence that all the merchandise shown in the viral footage came from the GFS Pride.
The dramatic visuals have nevertheless drawn attention to the potential commercial losses arising from attacks on cargo vessels in the region.
๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฐ๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐บ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐น ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that the cargo ship sank after striking a naval mine while travelling through what it described as an unauthorised route in the Strait of Hormuz.
Maritime officials, however, reported that the vessel had been struck by an unidentified projectile.
The conflicting accounts have left the precise circumstances surrounding the sinking unclear.
The ship reportedly caught fire after sustaining damage before eventually sinking.
Singapore's maritime authority confirmed that all 21 crew members had been evacuated safely and that no injuries were reported.
The authority also expressed concern over attacks on merchant vessels operating in international waters.
The GFS Pride was among several commercial ships affected by maritime security incidents in the region this week.
๐๐ป๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ธ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐๐
In a separate incident, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier Cape Dao also sank near the Strait of Hormuz after an unsuccessful salvage attempt.
The vessel had sustained damage in a projectile attack on September 23.
One crew member was killed in that earlier attack, while the remaining crew members were evacuated.
The sinking of the two vessels has raised concerns about the safety of commercial shipping through the strategic waterway.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported at least five incidents involving commercial vessels, including drone attacks, over a 48-hour period.
The incidents affected different categories of merchant ships, underscoring the wider risks facing international maritime traffic.
๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐จ๐ฆ-๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
The sinking comes amid intensified attacks on commercial vessels around the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime security has deteriorated during the conflict involving Iran and the United States.
Iran has said it is escalating its operations in response to a US blockade of its ports and additional sanctions imposed by Washington.
The confrontation has increased uncertainty for shipping companies operating in the Gulf region.
In a separate incident on October 6, US forces struck an Iranian dhow in the Gulf of Oman.
According to US Central Command, the vessel had been involved in surveillance activities and targeting US Navy ships.
American officials said the crew was removed before the vessel was destroyed and that no casualties were reported.
The latest maritime incidents have added to concerns about the possibility of further disruptions to commercial shipping.
๐๐น๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and serves as one of the world's most important maritime passages.
Before the current conflict, approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed through the waterway.
Disruptions to shipping in the region can affect international energy markets, freight costs and supply chains.
The latest sinking demonstrates that the risks are not confined to oil tankers but also extend to container ships transporting consumer goods and other commercial cargo.
The emergence of footage purportedly showing iPhones and luxury perfumes floating in the sea has brought an unusual visual dimension to the crisis.
However, beyond the images circulating online, the sinking of the GFS Pride has renewed concerns about the safety of crews, cargo and commercial vessels navigating one of the world's busiest strategic waterways.