(CNN)-- The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the crew of a container ship that was damaged near the Strait of Hormuz has been rescued after they were forced to abandon the vessel.

The ship's security officer stated that local authorities rescued the crew after they escaped on a lifeboat, in a statement to the maritime organization on Sunday morning (local time).

The authority had reported about five hours earlier that a fire broke out on the ship after its stern was damaged while sailing east of Oman.

This incident follows the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's announcement that it fired a warning shot at a ship that attempted to use an unauthorized route to cross the Strait of Hormuz, and its declaration of closing the waterway; it is not yet clear whether the two incidents are related.