New Delhi, Sept 2026 : Search and rescue operations are continuing to locate an Indian seafarer who went missing after a commercial vessel carrying 14 Indian nationals was attacked off the coast of Oman on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said 13 of the 14 Indian seafarers aboard the Panama-flagged vessel had been rescued, while efforts were underway to locate the remaining crew member with assistance from the Omani authorities.
“Regarding the missing seafarer, this attack happened off the coast of Oman. It was a Panama flagship on which we had 14 Indian nationals or seafarers, of whom 13 have been rescued, and we deeply thank the Omani authorities for rescuing our nationals. One Indian national is missing,” Jaiswal said during the MEA’s bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi.
He said the Indian Embassy in Oman was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the Omani authorities involved in the ongoing search and rescue operation.
The spokesperson also strongly condemned attacks targeting commercial vessels and seafarers in the region, stressing that civilian shipping and infrastructure should not be targeted.
“Targeting of commercial shipping, targeting of seafarers, civilians and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable to us,” Jaiswal said.
He also called for the restoration of safe and unhindered navigation through regional and international waterways, saying the free movement of commercial shipping was essential.
“We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through international and national waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” he said.
The MEA had on Sunday condemned the attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman and called for an immediate reduction in regional tensions.
“We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and pursuance of dialogue and diplomacy to bring peace to the region,” the ministry had said.
The ministry had also reiterated that attacks against commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians and civilian infrastructure were unacceptable and called for the restoration of safe navigation and uninterrupted commercial activity through international waterways in the region.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions surrounding the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
According to a statement issued by the Navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a super oil tanker attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz through what it described as a “forbidden” route south of the waterway struck naval mines and subsequently exploded and caught fire.
The tanker was identified as El Gaia. The IRGC said efforts to contain the blaze were unsuccessful and that the vessel was eventually engulfed in flames.
The Iranian force claimed that warnings had previously been issued about the risks associated with using the route, which it described as “illegal”. It also maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remained closed and under the control of Iranian naval forces.
The incident has added to concerns over maritime safety and the movement of commercial vessels in the region. The MEA has maintained that ensuring the safety of seafarers and uninterrupted navigation through international waterways remains a priority.
For India, the immediate focus remains on locating the missing seafarer. The Indian Embassy in Oman is continuing to coordinate with local authorities as search and rescue efforts remain underway.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
