A BRITISH father was unlawfully killed by an Iranian drone while on an oil tanker, an inquest found.
Adrian Underwood, 44, was working as a security officer on the empty vessel near Oman when the device hit.
The Army veteran, of Andover, Hants, joined a maritime security agency in 2020.
The motive behind the strike on MT Mercer Street is still unknown but the inquest heard it may have been due to Israeli ownership.
Mr Underwood, originally from Fiji, worked for firm Ambrey and “loved his job”.
Coroner Jason Pegg found that the drone strike, which targeted the ship in July 2021, left Mr Underwood with fatal head, neck and chest injuries.
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The ship’s Romanian captain was also killed.
Winchester coroner’s court heard last week that Mr Underwood was married and had a young son.
Det Sgt Shane Gaughan said there had never been any “substantive evidence” to explain why the vessel was targeted.
The US recovered parts from the site and it was thought to be a Shahed 136 kamikaze drone, which is commonly used by Iran.
At the time, Iran denied any involvement in the strike.
