The crew of a US-owned oil tanker found themselves "fighting for their lives" earlier this week, after a "barbaric attack" by Iran left the ship engulfed in flames and forced all 28 seafarers to jump overboard in the middle of the night, the owner of the vessel said Friday.

Some major shipping companies are now avoiding the key oil route due to safety concerns. Deadly fighting in the Middle East has spread to tankers around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, with multiple ships coming under fire on Sunday, opening up a new front in the conflict.