Eight out of 13 Indian sailors from a Comoros-flagged merchant vessel that capsized off the coast of Oman three days ago have been rescued, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Indian Navy warship INS Teg carrying out a rescue operation after an oil tanker, MT Falcon Prestige, capsized off the coast of Oman. (PTI Photo)
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
MT Falcon Prestige, which had a total crew of 16, had sent out a distress call at 2200 hours on July 14. It capsized soon after, the people said on condition of anonymity.
Nine crew members – eight Indians and one Sri Lankan – were safely rescued, the people said without giving further details.
“The search and rescue operations to find the remaining crew members will continue in the area,” one of the people said.
The Indian embassy in Oman has been in constant touch with Omani authorities ever since Indian authorities received reports of the vessel capsizing.
The search and rescue operations for the seafarers is being coordinated by the Oman Maritime Security Center (OMSC).
Indian Navy vessels also joined the search and rescue operations, the people said.
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.
Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.
Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.
