Two Tankers Attacked Near Strait of Hormuz and Oman; Two Indian Seafarers Missing
Two commercial tankers carrying Indian seafarers were attacked in separate incidents on October 11 in the Strait of Hormuz region and off the coast of Oman, leaving two Indian nationals missing. The remaining 20 Indian crew members aboard the two vessels were reported safe.
The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MT Valthera, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a fire onboard. All 11 Indian crew members were reported safe, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said in a post on X.
In a separate incident, the Nicaragua-flagged tanker MT Petro Dolphin, which was also carrying 11 Indian seafarers, came under a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage off the coast of Oman. Nine Indian crew members were rescued and reported safe, while two remained missing. The local Coast Guard has launched search-and-rescue operations to locate the missing seafarers.
The Embassy of India in Muscat said it was closely monitoring the situation involving MT Petro Dolphin and remained in continuous contact with the relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the attacks, describing the incidents involving commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz region as deeply concerning. It warned that such attacks could further aggravate an already volatile situation.
The MEA also stated that the Indian Embassy in Muscat was coordinating with Omani authorities and the respective ship management companies to assist in locating the missing seafarers and provide all possible support to the crew members.
