New Delhi, May 15:
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday strongly condemned the attack on an Indian-flagged cargo vessel off the coast of Oman, describing the incident as “unacceptable” and expressing concern over continued attacks on commercial shipping and civilian mariners in the region.
According to reports, the Gujarat-owned cargo ship MSV Haji Ali sank after it was struck by what preliminary reports described as a drone or missile-like projectile on May 13 while sailing through Omani waters.
The vessel was travelling from Berbera Port in Somalia to Sharjah when the incident occurred. In an 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 confirmed that all Indian crew members onboard the vessel were safe and thanked the Omani authorities for carrying out the rescue operation promptly.
“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.
Teams from the Oman Coast Guard launched a swift rescue operation and safely evacuated all 14 crew members despite the ship catching fire after the strike, according to several local media outlets.
The vessel reportedly became stranded off the Omani coast at around 3:30 a.m. (local time), according to the ship’s owner, Sultan Ahmed Ansar, who is a resident of Dwarka in Gujarat.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region and renewed concerns over the safety of international maritime routes and commercial vessels operating in West Asian waters.
The crisis in West Asia erupted following the US-Israel joint strikes against Iran on February 28. Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed during these strikes.
Tehran retaliated with a series of attacks against Israel and US military bases in the Gulf nations. This triggered a wider crisis in the Gulf region as Iran announced blocking the Strait of Hormuz.