Iran's IRGC says 2nd supertanker explodes after hitting mine in Hormuz Strait

TEHRAN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) - The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Saturday that a second "violating" supertanker had exploded in the Strait of Hormuz after hitting a naval mine, hours after a similar incident involving another tanker.

In a statement published on the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News, the navy said the blast occurred on Saturday morning, causing a "huge" fire on the vessel, which was carrying over 2 million barrels of crude oil.

It said the oil tanker had turned off its GPS and radar systems and was seeking to cross the waterway through an "illegal" route, adding that the explosion occurred in the vessel's engine room and brought it to a halt.

Earlier in the day, the IRGC Navy said another "violating" supertanker seeking to transit the strait through an "unauthorized" route had suffered a "huge" explosion after hitting a naval mine.

It added that the explosion resulted in a "massive" fire on the oil tanker, which had turned off its GPS and radar systems and was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil.

Iran tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz on Feb. 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.