Another Indian seafarer killed in Black Sea strike; LPG carrier comes under fire near Iran

MV Omorfi was attacked while transiting the Black Sea, reportedly in Russian territorial waters, on July 18, the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

An Indian seafarer was killed in a drone strike on a ship in the Black Sea last week, officials said on Friday, even as an LPG carrier Disha came under missile attack near Iran, leaving the vessel temporarily without manoeuvrability.

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, July 21, 2026. (Representative image/REUTERS)

MV Omorfi was attacked while transiting the Black Sea, reportedly in Russian territorial waters, on July 18, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. Chief Officer Sagar Gupta, one of three Indian nationals among the 10 crew members, was killed in the attack, while the two other Indian crew members are safe.

India on Friday condemned the attack on the Marshall Islands-flagged Omorfi and reiterated its call for upholding international obligations to ensure the safety and security of maritime navigation and the uninterrupted flow of global commerce.

The incident occurred a day before a Russian attack that targeted the Guinea Bissau-flagged MV Golden Leo in the Black Sea and killed 10 people, including four Indian seafarers. The external ministry’s statement did not specify who attacked the Omorfi, though the Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) said on social media that the vessel was targeted by an Ukrainian drone.

“India unequivocally condemns such attacks targeting commercial shipping and placing the lives of innocent civilian crew members at risk. It is a matter of serious concern that the freedom of navigation and international commerce is facing increasing threats,” the statement said. The Indian embassy in Russia has reached out to relevant authorities and is making efforts to extend all possible assistance to the family of the Indian seafarer killed on the Omorfi.

Separately, LPG carrier Disha was hit by an unidentified missile on Friday. The Mozambique-flagged carrier, carrying 28 Indian nationals among its 30-member crew, was attacked near Iran. The missile struck the engine room, triggering a fire and causing a temporary loss of manoeuvrability.

A situation report prepared by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration said the engine room fire has been extinguished, the situation is under control, and the vessel has dropped anchor. All crew members are safe. Disha has a carrying capacity of 78,488 cubic metres of liquefied gas.

The vessel’s crew comprises 28 Indian nationals, one Sri Lankan master and one Vietnamese chief officer.

K D Rao of Watercraft Marine Services, which recruited all the crew members, said: “We got a message at 2.30 pm on Friday. There is no injury to the crew. The vessel is anchored. Owners are giving support and providing a tug. We have told the staff not to go in the engine room.”

The Maritime Administration said six Indian vessels are currently in the Persian Gulf, west of the Strait of Hormuz, with 125 Indian seafarers onboard.

It said 14 vessels of Indian interest -- comprising Indian-flagged and India-bound foreign-flagged ships -- remain in the Persian Gulf (west of the Strait of Hormuz) and have been identified for evacuation. These include eight fertiliser carriers and six other vessels.

The report said 3,985 seafarers had been evacuated by various shipping companies as of July 24. It added that incidents involving Indian-flagged vessels and 29 incidents involving foreign-flagged vessels carrying Indian crew have been reported.

The total number of Indian seafarers killed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has gone up to five. More than half a dozen Indian seafarers have also been killed in Iranian and US attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks. The external affairs ministry has summoned senior Iranian, Russian and US diplomats to protest against these attacks.

Earlier in the day, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal rejected a suggestion from the Russian side that the Golden Leo was carrying arms when it was attacked. He said information from India’s Directorate General of Maritime Administration showed the Golden Leo had loaded grain as cargo before its departure from Odesa port on July 19.

“We once again reiterate that commercial shipping and seafarers must not be targeted under any circumstances,” he said, adding that external affairs minister S Jaishankar had made this position clear at the East Asia Summit and Asean Regional Forum meetings in the Philippines and also reiterated it with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

BLACK SEA, YEMEN WATERS ADDED TO INDIA SHIPPING ALERT

The Directorate General of Maritime Administration has expanded its maritime security advisories beyond the Strait of Hormuz, warning Indian-flagged vessels and foreign ships carrying Indian seafarers to exercise extreme caution in the Black Sea and waters around Yemen following a surge in attacks. The advisories cover the Bab-elMandeb Strait, the Southern Red Sea and the Black Sea. HTC