"We exclude [the possibility] that technical malfunctions on the ship caused [the fire]. This is a serious incident that must be thoroughly studied and investigated. We, of course, will play an active role in this," Robert Hvide Macleod told Hegnar news outlet.
The incident near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that links the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, took place on Thursday. Front Altair and another tanker, Japanese-operated Kokuka Courageous, were affected by explosions and caught fire.
While the causes of the incident, which happened in the waters between Gulf Arab states and Iran, remain unknown, US immediately pinned the blame on the Islamic republic, claiming that this assessment was based on intelligence.
The United States even announced that its USS Mason destroyer was on its way to the Gulf of Oman, which mounted the already aggravated tensions between the two countries. Meanwhile, Tehran has rebuffed all accusations.
