A container ship carrying over 2,500 containers has sunk in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, the vessel hit a naval mine while trying to pass through what it called an unauthorised and dangerous route. The impact caused an explosion and a serious fire on board.

The IRGC said the ship sank on Wednesday morning as the fire grew out of control. Iranian media also shared video footage said to show the moment the ship went down.

In its report, Sepah News Agency, which is linked to the IRGC, stated: “A container ship carrying 2,500 containers sank south of the Strait of Hormuz after hitting a naval mine and exploding, causing a massive fire.”

The statement did not mention the name of the ship, the country it belongs to, or what happened to the crew.

The incident happened at a time of rising tension in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.