Two cargo ships have collided in the Persian Gulf, sending an enormous fireball and plumes of thick black smoke into the air.
The MV Adalynn cargo vessel burst into flames after colliding with another ship, believed to be the MV Front Eagle.
All 24 crew members on board the Adalynn were safely evacuated from the blaze, with neither vessel dealing with any casualties or major injuries.
The crash, which happened near the Strait of Hormuz, sent thick black plumes of smoke billowing over the water as the ships became engulfed in flames.
More than 20 crew members were evacuated from the Adalynn vessel were evacuated
|X/@ed_fin
Shocking footage of the crash, shared on social media, shows the raging blaze burn through the vast cargo ship, sending massive plumes of smoke into the sky.
The giant vessel collision between the Adalynn and the Front Eagle was said to be caused by a "navigation error".
The crew members were evacuated to the port of Khor Fakkan after the crash, 24 nautical miles off the eastern coast.
According to the Front Eagle owning company, Frontline, all personnel on board were also reported as "safe" following the collision.
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Frontline also confirmed the incident would be investigated, with no suggestion of outside interference.
Tanker monitoring services report the Front Eagle was loaded with two million barrels of Iraqi crude oil and was travelling to Zhoushan in China, contributing to the scale of the fireball.
The monitoring services also state that the Adalynn vessel was holding no cargo, and was headed to Egypt before the terrifying collision.
Sharing more details on social media, TankerTrackers.com said the Front Eagle was heading southbound at a speed of 13.1 knots when it "executed a starboard (right) turn, resulting in a collision with the port quarter (aft port side)" of the Adalynn, which was travelling southeast at 4.8 knots.
The collision took place on the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow Persian Gulf maritime gateway (file image)
|REUTERS
The area of the Gulf where the fiery crash took place has, in recent months, seen a surge in GPS-related interference fears.
The Strait of Hormuz is also under Iranian control, with previous threats from the nation to close the route off completely to foreign cargo ships.
However, UK-based Maritime Trade Operations monitor said there was "no evidence" to suggest any hostile activity caused the tanker collision.
They cautioned any other vessels passing through the Gulf region to take care when travelling through the area.
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