Iranian fishermen are searching for iPhones and perfumes after GFS Pride sank.
The ship carried over 2,500 containers and lost all cargo.
Iran demands US withdrawal before reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Hundreds of Iranian fishermen have headed to the Strait of Hormuz to retrieve new iPhones and French perfumes that fell into the sea after the container ship GFS Pride sank on October 14.
After the ship sank, dozens of ships carrying fishermen could be seen between half-submerged containers, The Telegraph reported.
Singapore, the ship’s country of registration, said a fire on board caused it to sink. All 21 crew members were evacuated safely, with no injuries reported.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), said in a statement that “GFS PRIDE sustained damage and a fire on board, and has since sunk. All 21 crew members were safely evacuated. No injuries have been reported,” according to The Telegraph
In a video shared widely on social media, a man explains that he and a group of others plan to visit the area to recover the items.
“We are gathering and heading towards the Strait of Hormuz,” one man said in a video. “We heard a container ship sank, so we’re going to collect iPhones and perfume.”
Iran Intensified Attacks
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has intensified strikes on vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, reaching its highest rate since the war started. Its navy has also warned local fishermen to remain cautious around containers drifting in the water.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said the GFS Pride had entered an “unauthorised and dangerous” route before hitting a sea mine. The blast sparked a fire that sank the vessel carrying more than 2,500 containers, according to the Telegraph.
The GFS Pride was the second ship to sink within 24 hours and the third since the war began. The earlier incident involved the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged Cape Dao, which was lost in an attack on September 23.
US Exit Needed For Strait Reopening
Army spokesperson Brig Gen Mohammad Akraminia said on Friday that Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz only if US forces withdrew from the region. warned that Iranian forces would push out American troops if they refused to leave, according to the Indian Express
In his statement he said,” He said: “If America leaves the region, the Strait of Hormuz will open, collective security will be established with the participation of regional states, and the global economy will improve. And if it does not leave, we will expel it.”
