A British father and former soldier was unlawfully killed when an Iranian drone struck the oil tanker he was protecting off the coast of Oman, a coroner's inquest has determined.
The Fatal Attack
Adrian Underwood, a 44-year-old security officer, died in August 2021 when the Mercer Street tanker came under attack while sailing empty through international waters. The vessel was hit by what investigators believe was an Iranian-made Shahed 136 kamikaze drone.
Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Area Coroner Jason Pegg confirmed that Mr Underwood sustained fatal injuries to his head, neck and chest during the assault. Pathologist Dr Delaney's post-mortem report described the explosion injuries as 'clearly irreversible'.
Military Background and Career Change
Mr Underwood was no stranger to danger, having served as a veteran soldier who trained at the School of Artillery in Larkhill, Wiltshire. He saw active service in Afghanistan in 2009 with the 32nd Royal Artillery before taking voluntary redundancy from the army in 2013.
After leaving the military, he initially worked as a telecoms engineer in Andover, Hampshire, before joining maritime security company Ambrey in 2020. Despite his relatively recent entry into the maritime security field, he quickly rose to become a team leader.
The inquest heard that Mr Underwood was in 'good spirits' before the fatal mission and 'loved his job', showing no concerns about the work ahead.
Unanswered Questions and Investigation
Detective Sergeant Shane Gaughan, the case officer investigating the death, revealed that there has never been 'substantive evidence' explaining why the Mercer Street was specifically targeted. The tanker, built in Japan in 2013 and sailing under the Liberian flag, was managed by Zodiac Maritime and owned by an Israeli-based family.
DS Gaughan acknowledged speculation that the attack might have been linked to the vessel's Israeli ownership or could have been a case of mistaken identity, but emphasised there was 'no evidence' to support either theory conclusively.
The investigation revealed that three separate drone strikes occurred throughout the day, with crew members reporting hearing 'whizzing' noises before the third strike proved fatal to Mr Underwood.
Recovered UAV parts were examined at RAF Porton Down in Wiltshire, confirming the drone's origin and type. The findings pointed squarely toward Iranian involvement in the attack that claimed the life of the British security officer.
