Rumours that Iran seized cargo ship with US sailors on board

[blueski]

This hasn't hit major news wires yet, but it looks real according to Al Arabiya's twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/alarabiya_brk

Arab urgently @ AlArabiya_Brk · 3m 3 minutes ago
Iran fired on a US cargo ship and Taktefha to the port of Bandar Abbas # Arabah_aajl

Arab urgently @ AlArabiya_Brk · 9m 9 minutes ago
Photos directly to artillery shelling on the Yemeni border with Saudi Arabia #

Arab urgently @ AlArabiya_Brk · 12m 12 minutes ago
American held by Iran ship includes 34 American sailors # Arabah_aajl

Iran seizes power on a US cargo ship and Tguetadha to the port of Bandar Abbas # Arabah_aajl

Update, some major news orgs starting to relay the info:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/0...n_7161152.html
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/0...0NJ1QZ20150428
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32503660

Cue the conspiracy theories, see page 39:
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/res...n_strategy.pdf

[CaptainCrunch]

Well this is an interesting development overall.

From my understanding, the Iranians were caught smuggling weapons into Yeman. The US and some or the Arab states set up a naval blockade, and now Iran is retaliating.

Its an interesting corner now. The US and Iran are close to a nuclear deal that delays Iran from building a bomb for 10 years, but Iran wants the sanctions lifted unconditionally before anything is signed.

Now we have this.

[nik-]

It's also Al Arabiya, which is Saudi owned. So we should probably wait until there's another source.

[Flamenspiel]

Looks like this could be a repeat of the Pueblo Crisis.

[nik-]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102626316

as expected

Saudi-owned pan-Arab television station Al Arabiya reported a U.S. cargo ship was taken to Bandar Abbas on the southern cost of Iran. The report could not be independently verified. Shots were fired at the ship before it was steered to the Bandar Abbas port, the Arab television station said on its twitter feed.

A U.S. official told Reuters that there are no indications of any U.S. ship being directed into an Iranian port.

[blueski]

Originally Posted by nik-

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102626316

as expected

There's very few ships that fly under the USA flag. This was apparently a Maersk owned ship under the Dannish flag. 34 USA citizens on board is the key point.

But yeah, perhaps calm down until official reports surface.

[OMG!WTF!]

non issue in the stock market. quick drop and quick rebound.

[Thor]

BBC reporting a Marshal Islands flagged ship with no American's on board.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32503660

[combustiblefuel]

Saudi owned news reporting that there enemy Iran attacked a Us ship in the wake of a nuclear deal. Sounds legit