Drone Strikes US-Owned LNG Vessel in Egypt's Damietta Port

A drone attack on Wednesday at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta has left two ships damaged and sparked concerns about regional tensions. The Energos Winter, a US-owned liquefied natural gas vessel, was struck by a drone on its starboard side around 3:20 pm CET.

The incident triggered a fire that spread to the nearby Gaslog Salem LNG tanker. Both crews were evacuated before the blaze was brought under control. No injuries were reported.

Egypt's Petroleum Ministry initially confirmed the fire without specifying its cause, but later stated that preliminary investigations indicated it was caused by a drone. The attack marks the first on Egyptian soil since the war between Iran and the US began in February.

The US company New Fortress Energy owns the Energos Winter, which was docked at Damietta for maintenance when the attack occurred. The incident has disrupted operations at the terminal and forced both vessels to move offshore for assessment.