India on Monday condemned a drone attack on a Nicaragua-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz that left two Indian seafarers missing, and said recurring attacks on mere vessels in the region risk aggravating a volatile situation.
The external affairs ministry said MT Petro Dolphin, which had 11 Indian seafarers on board, was reportedly struck by a drone in the Strait of Hormuz region on Sunday.
The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) identified the two missing Indian crew members of MT Petro Dolphin as Bir Bahadur Yadav and Amit Singh. FSUI said the tanker was hit by a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage in Oman.
Another Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, MT Valthera, was struck on Sunday by an unknown projectile that caused a fire on board, though 11 Indian seafarers on board the vessel were “reported to be safe”, the ministry said in a statement.
The Indian embassy in Muscat is monitoring the situation and coordinating with Omani authorities and ship management companies for the rescue of missing Indians and to provide assistance to Indian seafarers.
While condemning the attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz region, the ministry said: “The safety and security of Indian seafarers remain a priority for the government of India. The recurring attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply concerning and risk further aggravating an already volatile situation.”
{{/usCountry}}While condemning the attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz region, the ministry said: “The safety and security of Indian seafarers remain a priority for the government of India. The recurring attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply concerning and risk further aggravating an already volatile situation.”
{{/usCountry}}The Indian side reiterated the need for “immediate de-escalation and a resolution to the ongoing conflict through dialogue and diplomacy”.
“Attacks on commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must cease,” the statement said. “Freedom of navigation and the safe, unimpeded flow of maritime commerce through international waterways, in accordance with international law, must be upheld.”
Eleven seafarers are among the 18 Indians killed so far in the West Asia conflict, which was triggered by attacks by Israel and the US on Iran in February. Several seafarers have been listed as missing following attacks on merchant vessels in the region.
India has more than 320,000 seafarers, the second-highest in the world after the Philippines, and more than 18,000 are on vessels in West Asia.