Dubai-bound vessel carrying 6 Indians hit in Persian Gulf, closely monitoring situation: Govt

Liberian-flagged VLCC MT Fujairah Energy was carrying six Indian seafarers, the government said on Wednesday.

A Liberia flagged tanker carrying six Indian seafarers was hit by a projectile while transiting the Persian Gulf on Tuesday, the government said. One Indian national is among four crew members injured in the attack, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said on Wednesday.

One Indian national is among four crew members injured in the attack, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said. (REUTERS/Representative)

“The remaining 18 crew members, including five other Indian seafarers, are safe and accounted for,” he added.

Liberian-flagged VLCC MT Fujairah Energy was the tanker that was hit, Sonowal said. It was transiting from Al Ruwais to Dubai.

He said that the government was in touch with the ship management company to ensure that the affected seafarers get proper medical care. “We are continuously monitoring the situation and remain in close contact with the ship management company to ensure the ongoing security, medical care and wellbeing of our seafarers,” he wrote on X.

Most recently, a Panama-flagged tanker carrying 27 Indian seafarers was hit with limpet mines in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire on the vessel. The incident took place last month, 25 nautical miles (46 km) northeast of Oman's Khasab. The government had said that all Indian seafarers aboard the MT Louise 1 were safe.

Key shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, have been seeing disruptions and attacks ever since the beginning of the Iran-US war in February this year.

A total of 37 ships were attacked in October alone, the highest monthly total since the start of the war, according to data from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Meanwhile, US forces continue to enforce a naval blockade of Iranian ports, further escalating tensions.

India has time and again highlighted the importance of maritime security and called for attention on the safety of sailors.