Two commercial tankers which were carrying Indian seafarers were attacked in separate incidents on October 11 in the Strait of Hormuz region and off Oman, leaving two Indian nationals missing, while 20 other Indians aboard the vessels were reported safe.
The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MT Valthera, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a fire onboard. All 11 Indian crew members were reported safe, Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal posted on X.
In a separate incident, the Nicaragua-flagged tanker MT Petro Dolphin, also carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage off Oman. Nine Indian crew members were rescued and reported safe, while two remained missing, with search-and-rescue operations underway by the local Coast Guard.
The Embassy of India in Muscat said it was closely monitoring the situation involving MT Petro Dolphin and remained in continuous contact with the concerned authorities.
In a statement on the attacks, Ministry of External Affairs condemned the incidents, saying the attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz region were deeply concerning and risked aggravating an already volatile situation.
The MEA said the Indian embassy in Muscat was coordinating with Omani authorities and the respective ship management companies to assist the missing seafarers and provide all possible support to the crews.
