Qatari LNG Carrier Al Mayeda Hit by ‘Unidentified Objects’ in the Gulf, Nakilat Confirms
The Qatari LNG carrier Al Mayeda was hit by “unidentified objects” while transiting the Gulf on the evening of Friday, 30 October 2026, its owner Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat) confirmed on Sunday, 1 November. None of the crew was injured, there was no environmental impact and the vessel is “in a safe condition, operational”, the company said in a statement published via the Qatar Stock Exchange (Nakilat, Gulf Times).
The maritime analytics firm Windward said on 1 November that Al Mayeda, laden with LNG, was struck by three projectiles at around 18:00 UTC (21:00 Istanbul time) on 30 October, about 40 nautical miles south of Lavan Island. According to Windward, the ship turned around at 18:33 UTC and went dark, switching off its AIS position signal, at 22:17 UTC (Windward).
Windward attributed the attack to Iran and said Iran had attacked at least four tankers in and around the Strait of Hormuz since 29 October, one of them with limpet mines fixed to the hull by a small boat. Iran has not claimed the attack on Al Mayeda, and Nakilat has not said who was responsible.
- Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat) confirmed on 1 November that its LNG carrier Al Mayeda was hit by “unidentified objects” on the evening of 30 October
- Nakilat says no crew were injured, there was no environmental impact and the ship remains safe and operational
- The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a projectile strike on the port side and a fire about 40 nautical miles south of Iran’s Lavan Island
- No one has claimed responsibility, and the weapon used has not been identified
What Nakilat has confirmed
Nakilat said the impact of the incident was still being assessed and that it was in direct coordination with the vessel, its crew and “the relevant maritime security authorities in the region”. The statement did not say what struck the ship, where exactly it was hit or how badly it was damaged (Nakilat).
What maritime security reports say
The UKMTO, the British naval centre that tracks incidents involving merchant shipping in the region, had reported on 30 October that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile on its port side, causing a fire on board, about 40 nautical miles south of Lavan Island, Iran. The crew were reported safe. The UK maritime security firm Clearwater Dynamics later said the ship involved was the Marshall Islands-flagged Al Mayeda (Clearwater Dynamics).
According to Bloomberg, the tanker was carrying Qatari LNG to Pakistan, and Pakistan had negotiated safe passage with Iranian officials, who approved the voyage hours before the attack, citing people familiar with the discussions. Bloomberg said vessel-tracking data showed the ship then reversed course back into the Gulf. India’s Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said all 25 crew, including six Indian nationals, were safe, the agency reported (Bloomberg via Investing.com). Neither Tehran nor any armed group has publicly claimed the attack, and Iran has not commented on the reported clearance.
The ship
Al Mayeda (IMO 9397298) is a Q-Max LNG carrier with a cargo capacity of about 266,000 cubic metres. It was built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea and delivered in 2009 (LNG Atlas). The Q-Max design is the largest class of LNG carrier in service and was built for Qatar’s export trade.
Context: a dangerous month for Gulf shipping
More than 120 commercial ships have been hit since the US-Israeli war with Iran began in February, according to Al Jazeera, citing International Maritime Organization and UKMTO data. The channel counted at least 29 ships hit in October, which it called the worst month of the war (Al Jazeera). Bloomberg reported that LNG traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in October ran at about 30% of pre-war volumes (Bloomberg). For the US military view of the strait, see our report on CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper’s Hormuz visit.
The strike came as tension rose again ahead of the US midterm elections on 3 November. On 31 October, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the armed forces to meet any threat with an “immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response”, according to a statement carried by Iranian state media (The Times of Israel, Iran International). Iran’s top security official Mohsen Rezaei said on state television that the Strait of Hormuz “cannot reopen” unless Iran’s seven conditions are met, Iran International reported. Iran on 1 November also designated the Royal Navy and RAF as terrorist organisations. For a wider timeline, see our US-Israel-Iran war tracker.
What is still unknown
Who fired at Al Mayeda, with what weapon and from where has not been established. Nakilat has not said whether the ship will resume its voyage, and it is unclear whether the cargo will reach Pakistan. Defense and Tech will update this report if officials release further details.
Sources: Nakilat statement (1 November 2026); UKMTO report as relayed by Clearwater Dynamics; Bloomberg, via Investing.com; Al Jazeera; The Times of Israel; Iran International; LNG Atlas.
