Attack on ship carrying 14 Indians near Oman; 1 missing, 13 rescued

New Delhi, Sept 13: An attack has been carried out on a commercial ship with 14 Indian crew on board off the Oman coast, following which one Indian has gone missing while 13 have been rescued.

“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman earlier today. Of the 14 Indian crew on board, 13 Indians have been rescued so far. Search and rescue operations for the missing Indian national are continuing,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said tonight in a statement.

The MEA said the Indian embassy is in touch with the Omani authorities and has been monitoring and “proactively coordinating” the search and rescue operation.

The ministry called for ensuring the safe transit of ships through the region, which has been plagued by several conflicts.

“We reiterate our call for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and the pursuance of dialogue and diplomacy to bring peace to the region. The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable. We also urge that the free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through the international waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” it added.

This is the latest among a series of attacks on commercial vessels with Indian crew on board in the West Asia region over the last few months.

A number of Indians have been killed in these attacks. (BVI)