An Indian cargo ship was attacked near Oman’s coast. After the attack, the Gujarat-owned vessel, called Haji Ali, sank while sailing through Omani waters on May 13.
Reportedly, the attack took place when the vessel, which was carrying livestock, was travelling from Berbera Port in Somalia to Sharjah. However, no casualties were reported, as Omani authorities rescued all 14 Indian crew members.
How Did India React After the Attack?
The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement regarding the attack on an Indian ship off the coast of Oman and called it unacceptable.
In its official statement, the MEA said, “The attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman yesterday is unacceptable, and we deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted.”
The ministry also thanked Omani authorities for successfully rescuing all the Indian crew on board the vessel. The MEA stated that all crew members are safe.
“India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided,” the statement added.
No Casualties Reported
Soon after the attack, the Oman Coast Guard launched a swift rescue operation and evacuated all 14 crew members successfully. Although the Haji Ali caught fire after the strike, no injuries were reported.
According to Sultan Ahmed Ansar, the ship owner who resides in Dwarka, Gujarat, the stranded vessel was off the Omani coast at around 3:30 am (local time).
India Calls for Protection of Commercial Shipping
India also took a firm stance against such attacks on merchant vessels and disruptions to maritime trade routes. In its statement, the MEA said, “India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided.”
There are multiple India-bound LPG tankers still crossing the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, despite the ongoing security situation in the region.
India-Bound LPG Vessels Continue Transit
The report said two foreign-flagged LPG carriers carrying cooking gas for India recently completed transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
One of them, the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel Symi, carrying around 20,000 tonnes of liquid propane and butane, is headed to Deendayal Port in Kandla. The crew includes eight Ukrainians and 13 Filipinos.
According to reports, two foreign-flagged LPG ships carrying cooking gas for India completed transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
One of the ships, carrying around 20,000 tonnes of liquid propane and butane, reached Deendayal Port in Kandla with a crew comprising eight Ukrainians and 13 Filipinos.
Meanwhile, another Vietnam-flagged vessel, NV Sunshine, which was carrying LPG, completed its transit on Thursday morning and headed toward New Mangalore Port.
Officials stated that ship movement in the region was taking place in close coordination among India’s Directorate General of Shipping and the Ministries of External Affairs, Defence, and Petroleum and Natural Gas.
There are 13 India-flagged ships stalled in the Persian Gulf, awaiting passage through the conflict-hit route.
Why Did the Incident Take Place?
This incident appears to be the result of escalating tensions in the region and renewed concerns over the safety of international maritime routes and commercial vessels operating in West Asian waters.
There have been several such strikes in West Asia since the conflict intensified in the region. These developments have heightened security risks for commercial shipping.
Following the escalation, Iran retaliated with multiple attacks on Israeli targets and US military bases, further increasing tensions and impacting maritime stability in the Strait of Hormuz, which has triggered concerns across the region.
