Bulk Carrier Luni Splits in Half and Sinks off Bandar Abbas, All 23 Crew Rescued

The St. Kitts and Nevis-flagged bulk carrier Luni, operated by Turkey-based Lora Shipping, split in half and sank at anchorage off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on July 14 following catastrophic keel failure. All 23 crew members were rescued by Iranian authorities.

Luni was a 32-year-old vessel, making structural failure a plausible contributing factor. Anecdotal reports indicate the vessel had been in collision with another ship several days prior, sustaining hull damage that may have propagated to total structural failure. No official account of the sequence of events has been released.

The sinking occurred simultaneously with explosions reported near Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, leaving the cause (collision damage, a weapon strike, or a combination of both) unconfirmed at time of publication.

AIS data from ShipAtlas has not been publicly linked to a confirmed track for the vessel in the days leading up to the sinking. Cargo type and volume have not been disclosed.

Iranian authorities are in possession of the rescued crew. No independent investigation authority has been confirmed. Investigation into the cause of the structural failure is ongoing.