Muscat, Oman, October 12 (ANI) — Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said Sunday that two Indian nationals remained missing after the Nicaragua-flagged tanker MT Petro Dolphin, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was struck in a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage on October 11. Nine crew members have been rescued and are safe.
In a post on X, Sonowal said search-and-rescue operations were underway with the local Coast Guard and that Indian authorities were coordinating with relevant agencies to help locate the missing seafarers.
“On Oct. 11, tanker MT PETRO DOLPHIN, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage. While nine of our Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and are safe, two Indian nationals currently remain missing. Search-and-rescue operations are actively underway by the local Coast Guard. We are continuously coordinating with all relevant authorities to fully support the ongoing rescue efforts and ensure every possible action is taken to safely locate our missing personnel,” Sonowal said.
The Embassy of India in Oman also said it was closely monitoring the situation and remained in contact with the relevant authorities.
In a post on X, the embassy said, “The Embassy is closely monitoring the situation concerning MT PETRO DOLPHIN, a Nicaragua-flagged tanker. Two of the 11 Indian seafarers onboard are reported missing. The Embassy is in close and continuous contact with the concerned authorities.”
In a separate post on X, Sonowal said all 11 Indian seafarers aboard the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MT Valthera were safe after the vessel was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on October 11, causing a fire onboard.
The minister said the government was monitoring the situation and remained in contact with the ship management company to ensure the crew’s safety and well-being.
“On Oct. 11, Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MT Valthera, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in an onboard fire. Thankfully, all 11 of our Indian crew members are reported to be safe. We are continuously monitoring the situation and remain in contact with the ship management company to ensure the ongoing safety and well-being of our seafarers,” Sonowal said.
The incidents come amid a series of reported attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf region as regional tensions continue to escalate.
Earlier, on October 9, the Panama-flagged crude oil tanker MT Gem No. 2, carrying 22 Indian nationals, was targeted in a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage. Sonowal had said all 22 Indian seafarers aboard the vessel were safe.
The incidents have renewed concerns about the safety of commercial shipping and Indian seafarers in the region. (ANI)
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