Two Indian seafarers are missing after the Nicaragua-flagged tanker MT Petro Dolphin, carrying 11 Indian crew members, came under a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage in Oman on Sunday.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said nine Indian crew members had been rescued and were safe.
“The Embassy is closely monitoring the situation concerning MT Petro Dolphin, a Nicaragua-flagged tanker. In a post on social media platform X, Sonowal confirmed the attack took place on October 11 and said local authorities were conducting search-and-rescue operations to locate the missing seafarers. “On October 11, tanker MT Petro Dolphin, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage. Two of the 11 Indian seafarers onboard are reported missing. The vessel had 19 crew members, including 17 Indian nationals, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Twelve crew members, among them 11 Indians, were injured in the attack. “We condemn the attack earlier today on a Panama-flagged commercial vessel MT On Peace (IMO 9893204) off the coast of Oman, where it was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Of the total crew of 19, 17 are Indian nationals. It is learnt that 12 crew members have been injured, including 11 Indian nationals,” the MEA said.
two Indian nationals currently remain missing,” Sonowal said While nine of our Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and are safe. The Embassy of India in Muscat said it was closely monitoring the situation involving MT Petro Dolphin and remained in continuous contact with the concerned authorities. The Embassy is in close and continuous contact with the concerned authorities,” the Embassy said in a post on X. “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,” the ministry said.
