The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have lodged a complaint with the United Nations Security Council and the UN Secretary-General on the sabotage attack on four merchant ships off the port of Fujairah in the east of the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia said in the complaint that the attacks threatened the security of international trade and shipping, the lives of crews on board and increased the risk of an environmental disaster.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced that four civilian commercial cargo ships of several nationalities were exposed Sunday morning to sabotage operations near the territorial waters of the state in the Gulf of Oman, towards the east coast near the Emirate of Fujairah, and in the economic waters of the UAE.
The damage to the ships was not serious, there were no human casualties, and there was no oil spill or environmental impact.
She pointed out that specialized teams are conducting investigations in order to uncover the circumstances of the sabotage incident, in cooperation with local and international bodies, that the concerned parties to investigate the results, when the completion of its procedures.
The Director of Maritime Transport Affairs at the Federal Authority for Land and Maritime Transport, Abdullah Al-Hayas, told Sky News Arabia that the UAE will take additional precautionary measures to ensure the protection and safety of maritime traffic.
The acts of subversion against the ships have caused a wave of Arab and international condemnation, and many capitals have confirmed their solidarity with the UAE in confronting all attempts to destabilize them.
Oman yesterday expressed regret over "irresponsible" attacks on merchant ships, including oil tankers off the coast of the UAE this week, and called for concerted efforts to avoid incidents that harm the security and stability of the region.
The Omani Foreign Ministry said in a statement quoted by Oman News Agency that the Sultanate "emphasizes the importance of concerted regional and international efforts for the safety of maritime navigation and to avoid any causes that may affect the security and stability of the region."