TASS, June 13. The Front Altair tanker owned by Norwegian Frontline, which was attacked near the coast of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, has sunk, Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen TV channel reports.

Earlier, Iran’s Press TV channel reported that Front Altair and the Kokuka Courageous tanker registered in Panama had come under attack in the Gulf of Oman. Sounds of explosions were heard in the ships’ location. Harbors in Pakistan and Oman have received SOS-signals from the crews of the ships that were attacked. At the same time, Arab media notes that the ships were struck by torpedoes. Oman coast guard spokesman Nasser Selin confirmed this information to the Norwegian Dagbladet newspaper. He also said that the incident had taken place in the Iranian territorial waters. Both the company and Oman are in close contact with the Iranian authorities.

Front Altair’s crew is primarily made up of Russian, Georgian and Filipino nationals, all sailors are out of danger, Norway’s Verdens Gang tabloid reports, citing a vessel owner’s spokesperson.

"All 23 people who were on board are in safety. They were sent to a different ship in the area," the company said. The Russian Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department told TASS that it was verifying the reports on the Russian sailors aboard the burning tanker.

Iranian emergency services have rescued forty-four sailors from two tankers that were attacked, the attack caused a fire on the vessels. According to Reuters, the US naval force ships are in the area of the incident.