TankerTrackers: No Fire Occurred on Kharg Island

Some media outlets reported a fire on Kharg Island, but Tanker Trackers said, after reviewing satellite imagery, that no fire had occurred. The platform explained that the observed rise in heat in the images was caused by routine gas flaring at Kharg’s oil facilities. These reports were published following news of an attack on the island’s oil infrastructure.

• Tanker Trackers said that no fire had occurred on Kharg Island.
• Some media outlets had previously reported a fire on Kharg Island.
• Tanker Trackers reviewed satellite imagery to investigate the matter.
• According to Tanker Trackers’ review, the increase in heat seen in the satellite images was due to routine gas flaring.
• This routine gas flaring occurs at Kharg’s oil facilities.
• Tanker Trackers stressed that the observed rise in heat is not a sign of an attack on the island’s oil infrastructure.
• Tanker Trackers’ report came in response to news suggesting an attack on Kharg Island’s oil infrastructure.. Coverage difference: All three media outlets (Hamshahri, Shargh, and Etemad) emphasized a single narrative from Tanker Trackers: that no fire occurred on Kharg Island. All three sources note that the increase in heat observed in satellite imagery was due to routine gas flaring at Kharg’s oil facilities and was not a sign of an attack on the island’s oil infrastructure. No significant difference in emphasis or omission of information is observed among these three accounts.