Cargo vessel with 24 Indians seafarers catches fire after attack off Oman coast; India responds | World

An incident of fire on board a foreign-flagged oil tanker carrying 24 Indian seafarers was reported on Monday afternoon near the Omani coast, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) confirmed. The incident occurred at around 1:30 pm on board the vessel MT Marivex, south of the Strait of Hormuz, which was sailing from Karwar in India to Duqm in Oman.

Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia, a Ministry official, Opesh Kumar Sharma, said preliminary information indicates that all 24 Indian crew members are safe. “There has been a recent report that at around 1:30 pm today, a fire broke out on the vessel MT Merry Vex, which had 24 Indian seafarers on board. This is the preliminary information we have received. Based on the available information, all the Indian seafarers are presently safe,” he said.

He further said that the government is coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, and the Indian Navy to ensure their safety.

On whether the ship was hit by a projectile, Sharma said, “So whether the ship was hit by a projectile or not, presently we are trying to get absolute information. As you are aware, the fire incident was at 1:30 today.”

“The vessel was well out of the Strait of Hormuz and well clear to the south,” he added.

According to the shipping ministry, the vessel, an oil tanker, was not carrying any cargo and was in ballast condition. “There were only Indian seafarers on board,” Sharma noted.

Evacuation of seafarers underway

Meanwhile, the evacuation of the seafarers from the vessel is currently underway.

According to vessel tracking data from MarineTraffic, the tanker was en route from Karwar to Duqm when the fire broke out. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely, and further details are awaited.

According to the Ministry, the Directorate General of Shipping said its control room has handled over 12,020 calls and 26,832 emails since its activation. In the last 96 hours alone, it received 390 calls and 968 emails from seafarers, their families, and maritime stakeholders. 

The ministry also said it has facilitated the safe repatriation of more than 3,506 Indian seafarers so far, including 32 in the past 96 hours, while port operations across India continue to function normally without congestion.

Crew send SOS

Earlier, the Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) has sought urgent assistance for 24 Indian seafarers aboard a vessel reportedly attacked off the coast of Oman amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region linked to the Israel-Iran conflict.

In a post on X, the union said the vessel was located near the strategic Strait of Hormuz and appealed for immediate intervention. “Indian Navy in Harmouz 24 Indian Seafarers seeking urgent assistance at 2057.07N 059 degree 0813 off coast Oman onboard @IndiannavyMedia @MEAIndia @DrSJaishankar @shipmin_india @ITFglobalunion,” the FSUI said in its post.

Indian Embassy in Oman responds

Following the circulation of the distress messages on social media, the Indian Embassy in Oman responded to one of the appeals and requested contact details to establish communication and coordinate assistance.

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