Kuwaiti tanker 'Al Salmi' attacked by Iran drone off Dubai coast

Dubai: The Kuwaiti oil tanker Al Salmi was hit by an Iranian drone while anchored off Dubai Port.

Al Salmi, a very large crude carrier (VLCC) ship, was attacked at approximately 12:10 am on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) announced.

All 24 crew members aboard the Kuwaiti crude tanker Al Salmi have been confirmed safe following the incident in waters off Dubai.

In a statement, the KPC confirmed that the tanker was fully laden at the time of the incident.

The attack resulted in "damage to the vessel's hull and the outbreak of a fire onboard, with a potential oil spill in the surrounding waters," KPC stated.

Dubai authorities have confirmed that response teams have successfully extinguished the fire involving the Kuwaiti tanker. "Relevant teams continue to assess the situation and take the necessary measures, and updates will be shared as they become available," according to a statement from the Dubai Media Office.

Emergency response and firefighting teams "were immediately mobilised and are currently working to contain and control the situation in close coordination with the relevant authorities," it noted.

The KPC further added that a "detailed technical assessment of the damage is underway, and all necessary measures are being taken to safeguard the vessel and mitigate any environmental impact."

According to ship tracker Maritime Optima, Al Salmi (IMO 9534793) is a tanker/VLCC vessel built in 2011 and is sailing under the flag of Kuwait. She has an overall length (LOA) of 333 metres and a width (beam) of 60 metres.

Her summer deadweight capacity is 319,660 tonnes.