New Delhi, India, October 6 (ANI): India on Tuesday strongly condemned a projectile strike on a Panama-flagged commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz that injured 12 of the 19 crew members, including 11 of the 17 Indian nationals aboard, and called for an immediate cessation of attacks against civilian infrastructure and seafarers.
In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said that 11 of the 17 Indians aboard the vessel MT On Peace were injured in the attack off the coast of Oman while the vessel was transiting the critical maritime chokepoint.
“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 statement said.
The MEA said the injured seafarers were safely evacuated and were receiving medical treatment in Khasab, Oman.
“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 ministry said.
The MEA strongly condemned the continuing attacks on commercial shipping and reiterated its call for an immediate end to hostilities to restore 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 said.
“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.
The statement came 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).
The incident occurred Monday at approximately 8:27 a.m. UTC, about 11 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman.
According to a UKMTO advisory, 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 investigating the incident. UKMTO has advised all ships transiting the region to exercise extreme caution and immediately report any suspicious activity.
The developments come amid heightened security risks across major 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 raised concerns over attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers during his address to 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 U.N. General Assembly.
Jaishankar also said India had joined Liberia and 23 partner nations in an international coalition to mobilize 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 said.
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. (ANI)
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