India on Sunday condemned an attack on a Panama-flagged oil tanker off the coast of Oman that left one Indian seafarer missing. The Ministry of External Affairs said 13 of the 14 Indian crew members aboard the vessel, MT El Gaia, had 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 onboard, 13 Indians have been rescued so far," the ministry said in a statement.
Search Operations Continue For Missing Seafarer
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The MEA said search and rescue efforts for the missing Indian national were ongoing, with India's embassy in Oman closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with Omani authorities. India thanked Oman for its support in the rescue effort and called for an immediate de-escalation of regional tensions through dialogue and diplomacy.
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"The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable," the ministry added.
Attacks On Shipping Have Repeatedly Hit Indian Seafarers
New Delhi has repeatedly voiced concern over attacks on commercial shipping, given that a large share of affected vessels carry Indian crew. Speaking at the BRICS summit on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed setting up a "Seafarers' Emergency Support Network" to protect sailors from security risks arising out of regional conflicts.
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Ten Indian seafarers are among 16 Indians killed so far in the West Asia conflict, while five more Indian seafarers have died in separate strikes on merchant vessels in the Black Sea. The MEA reiterated its call for free and safe navigation to be restored in the region's international waterways at the earliest.
(With PTI inputs)
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