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Here is the first @NASA satellite image taken this morning of (what seems to be based on AIS pos) the #FrontAltair tanker. We had to enhance the original. We noted the distress call times as reported by @katiemcque. A couple of tugboats in the area have diverted to assist. #OOTT 
This is the original satellite image. We're waiting for additional sources.
Data captured by @esa (delivered via @sentinel_hub) shows a 25km long smoke plume blowing west at 05:49 UTC (09:49 local time). That's 3.5 hours after initial distress call. Also, in three days time, weather forecast has #CycloneVayu approaching the area at 160km/h.
Images distributed by an Iranian news outlet. Given the direction the vessel is facing along with the direction the smoke is heading, it looks right. Also, we see that she is partially laden, just as the #FrontAltair is reporting. Colors match, too. #OOTT
Better quality here now:
Before sharing this tweet, we have confirmed that this is the #FrontAltair deck based on a photo posted on another social media source last year.
Based on the photo captured by Iranian news media, we can see that 2/3rds of the starboard side has been scorched by fire. Even though the vessels were sailing along and outside the Iranian maritime border at time of distress calls, the starboard side faces international waters.
And no, we do NOT believe sea mines would be in these international commercial waters. It is highly unlikely for a vessel sailing forward to be hit along its starboard side by an idle floating mine.
For the sake of perspective, we've included these two @MarineTraffic maps to show you just how many tankers are currently in motion out of the Middle East. We even made sure to filter out all of the empty ones!
Satellite image captured yesterday morning by the @esa (via @sentinel_hub). Located 100km east of Fujairah and 47km SW of Jask. Flare imagery by @nasa shows the #FrontAltair still on fire overnight. #OOTT
Here is a part of the AIS playback that @MarineTraffic captured. We can see that the HYUNDAI DUBAI cargo vessel rescued the crew, which were then transferred to the Iranian tugboat NAJI 10, taking them to the Iranian port of Jask.
And here's part of the AIS playback by @MarineTraffic of the KOKUKA COURAGEOUS. She was assisted by a Dutch tugboat which happened to be in the area after sailing in from Singapore.
Here are the AIS logs from yesterday (June 13th, 2019) of both the KOKUKA COURAGEOUS and FRONT ALTAIR; courtesy of @MarineTraffic. You can see which vessels approached them. Such information is available in the (super excellent) Voyage Timeline tool.
