India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
An Indian sailor from Gujarat was killed after an India-flagged cargo vessel came under attack off the coast of Oman on Monday. The ship, carrying 14 Indian crew members, was hit by an unidentified aerial object while sailing near the Omani coast, Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said.
The vessel, identified as MSV Al Jusufi, was struck on Monday. Thirteen crew members managed to evacuate and were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard. However, one sailor died in the attack.
An India-flagged cargo vessel, MSV Al Jusufi, carrying 14 Indian crew members, was hit by an unidentified aerial object off the coast of Oman on Monday, killing sailor Gandhar Nahim Ajij from Gujarat while 13 others were rescued.
The deceased was identified as Gandhar Nahim Ajij from Gujarat.
Sonowal expressed grief over the incident in a post on X and offered condolences to the sailor’s family. He said the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Indian Embassy in Oman were coordinating with local authorities to assist the survivors and arrange their return to India.
The government is also working to bring back the mortal remains of the deceased sailor.
The attack comes at a time when tensions across the Gulf region have raised concerns over the safety of commercial shipping. Several vessels have come under missile and drone attacks amid the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran.
The impact on Indian seafarers has been particularly severe. According to government figures released last week, at least 22 Indian nationals have died since the US and Israel attacked Iran in February this year. Fourteen of them were seafarers.
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of the major flashpoints in the conflict, putting commercial vessels and their crews at risk. Following the deaths of Indian sailors, the government banned the deployment of Indian citizens on ships navigating through the strategic waterway.
India has repeatedly raised concerns over attacks on commercial vessels and called for the safety of seafarers and uninterrupted navigation through international waters.
