Two sanctioned Iran-linked tankers drifted for days over Gulf and Arabian Sea cable routes, Windward says

Two OFAC-sanctioned, Iran-linked tankers drifted slowly for long periods over subsea internet cable corridors in recent weeks, according to an analysis by maritime intelligence firm Windward reported by SAFETY4SEA. One drifted for about 73 hours off Muscat between 30 September and 3 October, near the AAE-1, 2Africa, FALCON and GBI cable routes; it had changed its MMSI, call sign and flag code four days earlier. The second drifted for about 115 hours in the central Arabian Sea between 4 and 9 October, crossing five cable routes. Windward said neither vessel's activity could be confirmed as surveying or preparation for sabotage. The analysis follows warnings by an IRGC spokesman on 19 October about cables under the Strait of Hormuz.

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