11 Indian crew members were injured on Tuesday after a Panama-flagged commercial vessel was hit by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a strong condemnation from India.
The vessel, MT On Peace, carried 19 crew members, including 17 Indian nationals. In total, 12 crew members -11 of them Indian -sustained injuries in the strike, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The incident occurred on Monday at approximately 08:27 UTC, about 11 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman.
"We condemn the attack earlier today on a Panama-flagged commercial vessel MT On Peace off the coast of Oman, where it was struck by a projectile while transiting. The MEA informed that the injured seafarers were safely evacuated and are currently being medically treated in Khasab, Oman.
Expressing gratitude towards the Omani authorities, the MEA stated, "With the assistance of Omani authorities, the injured crew have since been evacuated and are receiving medical treatment in Khasab, Oman. We thank the Omani authorities for their valuable support."
The MEA, in the strongest terms, condemned these perpetual attacks on commercial shipping and reiterated the call for an immediate end to the hostilities to re-establish peace and stability in the region.
"The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region remain a cause of deep concern for India. We reiterate our call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interests of peace and stability in the region," the statement read.
"The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and navigation and commerce through international waterways must be restored at the earliest," it added.
This comes after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a commercial tanker transiting inbound through the Strait of Hormuz was forced to turn around after being hailed and threatened by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to UKMTO Advisory, the IRGC forces hailed the vessel and warned that it would be targeted if it failed to comply with instructions to turn back. The vessel's Master confirmed that the crew complied with the directive and altered course.
Authorities are currently investigating the incident. UKMTO has advised all ships transiting the region to exercise extreme caution and immediately report any suspicious activity.
The update comes against the backdrop of heightened security risks across global maritime corridors, including the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Black Sea, where commercial shipping has faced recurring attacks.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had raised concerns over attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers during his address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly last week.
“New challenges in the maritime domain have added to longstanding ones on land. There have been attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers in the Gulf and from the Red Sea to the Black Sea. Indian seafarers have lost their lives, as have others from other nations. This is completely unacceptable,” Jaishankar told the UN assembly.
Jaishankar also said India had joined Liberia and 23 partner nations in an international coalition to mobilise global public opinion and defend commercial shipping routes.
“We must ensure that the safety and security of shipping and seafarers is never compromised. Scrupulously observing international law is an integral element of that endeavour,” Jaishankar urged.
He also called for immediate restraint and de-escalation in the Gulf region to protect civilian crews and ensure uninterrupted energy supplies and global trade.
(With agency inputs from ANI and PTI)
