Two commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members were attacked in the Hormuz Strait region off Oman, heightening concerns over maritime security in the area.
According to reports, the Nicaragua-flagged oil tanker MT Petro Dolphin was anchored near Oman’s Sohar port when it came under a sudden aerial drone strike. The ship had 11 Indian sailors on board.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said 20 Indian sailors from the two vessels were rescued safely. However, two crew members from MT Petro Dolphin—Bir Bahadur Yadav and Amit Singh—are reported missing.
In a separate incident, the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MT Valthera was hit by an unidentified object, triggering a fire on board. All 11 Indian sailors working on that vessel were rescued.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attacks and called for an immediate halt to assaults on commercial ships and seafarers. It also urged that international law be upheld to ensure uninterrupted maritime trade and safe navigation in international waters, noting a similar attack last week in which 11 Indian sailors were injured.
