New Delhi: Five Indian seafarers have been safely brought ashore in Oman after a Kuwaiti crude oil tanker they were serving on was struck by a projectile in the conflict-ridden Strait of Hormuz.
The Indian Embassy in Muscat confirmed the rescue of the crew from the MT Kazimah III, a very large crude carrier (VLCC) operated by the Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC).
In a post on X on Friday (local time), the embassy said: “Earlier today, the Mission coordinated rescue of five Indian nationals on board the Kuwait-flagged tanker MT Kazimah III, struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. All 5 Indian nationals have been shifted ashore safely.”
It added: “We thank the Omani authorities for their continued support and assistance.”
Shipping data showed the vessel, a crude oil tanker sailing under the Kuwaiti flag, was headed towards the port of Lomé in Togo when it was struck, as reported by Hindustan Times.
Seafarer Safety Under Scanner
The incident comes as India intensifies monitoring of Indian crews in the Persian Gulf, a region that — along with the Red Sea and Black Sea — has seen repeated attacks on merchant vessels.
On Tuesday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said more than 4,500 Indian seafarers are currently working aboard commercial vessels in the region, including 163 Indian nationals on 12 active cargo ships.
“At this point, we have six India-flagged commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf. We also have six foreign-flagged vessels which are carrying cargo to India. So 12 ships are there. On these ships, we have around 163 Indian seafarers who are on board,” he said during a media briefing.
“Apart from this, we also have over 4,500 Indian seafarers who are on board various commercial vessels which are operating in the area,” he added.
Jaiswal said the Ministry of Shipping was working with Indian diplomatic missions and local stakeholders to track vessel movements and monitor the safety of Indian seafarers.
Escalating Strikes In Strait
The MT Kazimah III strike is the latest in a series of incidents in the Strait of Hormuz over the past week, with merchant shipping and seafarers facing increased risks in several areas, including the Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Bab-el-Mandeb and Black Sea.
Last month, India used the UNGA platform to raise concerns over the targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers amid the ongoing conflict in the Gulf.
“This year, we are witnessing a conflict in the Gulf, one that is exacerbating an already difficult situation. We remain deeply concerned over continuing hostilities,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said in his address to the General Debate at the high-level 81st session of the UN General Assembly.