Chapter 137: Unexpected Naval Skirmish
In the middle of the night, two European ships attacked an Omani sambuk ship. Despite the darkness, the sambuk’s distinctive features made it unmistakably part of the Omani naval forces, while the exact identity of the European ships remained unclear.
The crew of the Safavid fleet watched with bated breath from a safe distance as the battle unfolded.
The identity of the European ships was hard to determine, but the sambuk’s features made it clear it was part of the Omani fleet. The vast expanse of sea trembled with the roar of cannon fire.
The sambuk appeared to be 50-80 feet long (15-24 meters), a narrow ship with a single mast and lateen sails. Known for its agility, it found itself unable to maneuver as it was caught in the bombardment.
In contrast, the European ships were clearly heavy-weight carracks, heavily armed with cannons. Although not as formidable as galleons, they were still formidable adversaries. One carrack, larger and weighing around 500-600 tons with a length of 80 meters, was the first to attack. The other carrack, weighing 300-400 tons and measuring 50 meters, took its position.
From the deck of the sambuk, the crew’s cries of fear could be heard amidst the loud explosions. The first cannonball hit the sambuk hard, breaking through its wooden hull and making it shake violently, while some debris flew up into the ocean.
Soon after, the second carrack fired more cannonballs, which exploded on impact. One cannonball hit the sambuk’s deck, causing a fireball to burst out and ignite into flames.
The crew rushed around in panic, their actions visible against the spreading flames. The fire quickly spread to the sails and network of ropes, burning fiercely and making loud crackling sounds as it destroyed the ship bit by bit.
With each explosion, the sambuk’s demise seemed inevitable. The fire grew louder and more destructive. The crew’s cries faded as the fire overwhelmed the ship, causing it to collapse and sink. Sailors leaped into the water, though gunshots continued to ring out from the carracks.
The distance was too great, and it would take time for them to row in, but the spectacle was crystal clear. By this time, the Safavid fleet could have turned and left if they wished, but they stood as something felt amiss.