A drone attack on a tanker off the coast of Oman has left two Indian seafarers missing, while nine others have been rescued. The incident comes amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, with Indian nationals facing growing safety concerns in the region.
Tanker with 11 Indian crew hit by drone
A vessel carrying 11 Indian seafarers came under a drone attack off the coast of Oman on Sunday. Two crew members are missing, while nine have been rescued, as per Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal.
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What the minister said
In a post, Sonowal said: “On Oct 11, tanker MT PETRO DOLPHIN, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage. While nine of our Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and are safe, two Indian nationals currently remain missing.”
According to the minister, the local Coast Guard is running search-and-rescue operations. He added: “Search-and-rescue operations are actively underway by the local Coast Guard. We are continuously coordinating with all relevant authorities to fully support the ongoing rescue efforts and ensure every possible action is taken to safely locate our missing personnel.”
{{/usCountry}}According to the minister, the local Coast Guard is running search-and-rescue operations. He added: “Search-and-rescue operations are actively underway by the local Coast Guard. We are continuously coordinating with all relevant authorities to fully support the ongoing rescue efforts and ensure every possible action is taken to safely locate our missing personnel.”
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Indian Embassy in Muscat reacts
The Embassy of India in Muscat also shared an update on X. As per the embassy, it is closely watching the situation of MT PETRO DOLPHIN, a Nicaragua-flagged tanker.
The embassy said: “The Embassy is closely monitoring the situation concerning MT PETRO DOLPHIN, a Nicaragua-flagged tanker. Two of the 11 Indian seafarers onboard are reported missing. The Embassy is in close and continuous contact with the concerned authorities.”
Indians have been facing danger in the Middle East recently as tensions have risen again. On Saturday, 11 Indians were injured when Riyadh airport came under attack. A day later, the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia announced that one of them had died.