Iran has seized a British-registered oil tanker with 23 crew in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Stena Impero was passing through the bottle neck into the Persian Gulf when it turned dramatically to the north at 4pm, UK time.
The vessel was surrounded by heavily-armed small craft and a helicopter and ordered to turn north.
The Stena Impero oil tanker has been seized by Iranian authorities while passing through the Strait of Hormuz this evening
The Stena Impero was surrounded by Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces at 16:00 BST and ordered to head north. The British registered vessel switched off its maritime tracker a short time later
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard uses a large number of high-speed small vessels to harass shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The regime launched these 'ultra-fast' boats in 2010
The vessel had left Fujairah in Dubai and moved into the Strait of Hormuz when it was intercepted.
According to Iranian state TV, the Stena Impero tanker 'was confiscated by the Revolutionary Guards at the request of Hormozgan Ports and Maritime Organisation when passing through the strait of Hormuz, for failing to respect international maritime rules.'
The Foreign Office said it was seeking further information about the fate of the vessel and its crew.
It is understood the British-flagged tanker was surrounded by small craft and helicopters and ordered to turn north into Iranian waters.
A statement from Stena Bulk, the company which owns the tanker, said the firm had lost contact with the crew of 23 after it was approached by 'unidentified small crafts and a helicopter' at around 4pm.
This image, released from Iranian state TV shows Revolutionary Guard speedboats harrying a Panamanian oil tanker on July 14
Royal Marine Commandos intercepted the Grace I off the coast of Gibraltar, on July 14. The vessel, which is Iranian owned is suspected of smuggling oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions
The statement said: 'Stena Bulk and Northern Marine Management can confirm that at approximately 1600 BST on 19th July UK registered vessel Stena Impero (built 2018, 49,683 DWT) was approached by unidentified small crafts and a helicopter during transit of the Strait of Hormuz while the vessel was in international waters.
'We are presently unable to contact the vessel which is now heading north towards Iran.
'There are 23 seafarers aboard. There have been no reported injuries and their safety is of primary concern to both owners and managers.
'The priority of both vessel owner Stena Bulk and ship manager Northern Marine Management is the safety and welfare of the crew.'
An Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'We are urgently seeking further information and assessing the situation following reports of an incident in the Gulf.'
The UK Chamber of Shipping demanded extra protection for merchant vessels operating in the Persian Gulf.
Bob Sanguinetti, CEO of the Chamber said: 'We condemn unreservedly the capture of Stena Impero as she transited the Strait of Hormuz earlier today.
'This incident represents an escalation. Whilst we call for measured response, it is also clear that further protection for merchant vessels must be forthcoming to ensure enhanced security to guarantee free flow of trade in the region.'
The incident came as Iran and the United States emphatically disagreed Friday over Washington's claim that a U.S. warship downed an Iranian drone near the Persian Gulf. American officials said they used electronic jamming to bring down the unmanned aircraft, while Iran said it simply didn't happen.
Neither side provided evidence to prove its claim.
At the White House on Friday, President Donald Trump said flatly of the Iranian drone: 'We shot it down.' But Pentagon and other officials have said repeatedly that the USS Boxer, a Navy ship in the Strait of Hormuz, actually jammed the drone's signal, causing it to crash, and did not fire a missile. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive technology.
Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, said, 'There is no question this was an Iranian drone, and the USS Boxer took it out as the president announced yesterday because it posed a threat to the ship and its crew. It's entirely the right thing to do.'
In Tehran, the Iranian military said all its drones had returned safely to their bases and denied there was any confrontation with the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship.
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News Photo Iran Guards say they have confiscated a British tanker in Strait of Hormuz
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