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[Herald Economy reporter Yoo Dong-hyun] U.S. media outlet CNN reported that the Iranian cargo ship seized by U.S. forces on the 19th (local time) after naval gunfire is likely to be treated as U.S. prize property.
U.S. Central Command said it captured the cargo vessel Toska, which had sailed from China and was headed for Bandar Abbas, Iran.
CENTCOM said the vessel ignored U.S. warnings for 6 hours and continued moving. U.S. forces ordered engine-room personnel to evacuate, then fired multiple rounds from an MK-45 5-inch (127 mm) gun, disabling the ship’s propulsion system.
Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Karl Schuster told CNN that the Toska’s cargo could be treated as “prize,” similar to material seized from an enemy during an armed conflict.
Analysts expect authorities to move the Toska soon to an anchorage or port for inspection. Any cargo found during that inspection would likely become U.S. government property.
Jennifer Parker, a former Australian navy officer, said the crew’s fate will depend on their nationalities.
She said Indian and Filipino seafarers would likely disembark and be returned home quickly, while Iranian crew members could face detention.
Parker added that if members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were aboard, they could be treated as prisoners of war.
She also warned that if the Toska was carrying weapons or military equipment for Iran, crew members could be detained.
Vessel-tracking firm MarineTraffic’s data show the Toska was carrying cargo at the time of the seizure, but the specific contents have not been disclosed.
The Toska has shuttled between China and Iran in recent years and has been under U.S. State Department sanctions since 2018.
The Washington Post, analyzing AIS data from global intelligence firm Kpler, reported the Toska had loaded cargo at Gaolan port in Zhuhai, in southeastern China.
Gaolan is known as a shipment point for chemicals such as sodium perchlorate, which can be used as a key raw material in missile programs.
After the seizure, Iranian military authorities vowed retaliation but said they would wait until the safety of those aboard was ensured before responding.
According to TASS, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Military Command that coordinates Iran’s armed forces, said on the 20th that “after the U.S. attacked an Iranian vessel in the Gulf of Oman, Iran’s military stood ready to deliver a decisive response,” but added that “because the ship carried crew members’ families, we face constraints in guaranteeing their safety.”
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