An Indian sailor was killed after a cargo vessel carrying 14 Indian crew members came under attack by an unidentified aerial object off the coast of Oman. Thirteen other crew members were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Tuesday.
The deceased sailor was identified as Gandhar Nahim Ajij, a resident of Gujarat. The vessel, identified as MSV Al Jusufi, was struck on November 2 while navigating near the Omani coast, according to the minister.
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In a post on X, Sonowal said the vessel was carrying 14 Indian seafarers when it was hit. The 13 other crew members evacuated safely and were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard, while Ajij succumbed to his injuries.
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"I am deeply saddened to report that one of our seafarers, Gandhar Nahim Ajij from Gujarat, tragically succumbed to his injuries," Sonowal said.
The minister also expressed condolences to the sailor's family, adding that the Ministry and the Indian Embassy in Oman were coordinating with local authorities to provide immediate assistance to the survivors.
The government is also working to facilitate the swift repatriation of the 13 rescued sailors and the mortal remains of the deceased crew member.
The MSV Al Jusufi belongs to Salaya in Gujarat's Devbhumi Dwarka district. It was carrying cargo from Hamriyah Port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and was sailing towards Porbandar in Gujarat when it was struck by an unidentified aerial object, according to the details provided in the report.
The incident comes amid heightened maritime security concerns in the Middle East, where the ongoing conflict has raised the risk of attacks on commercial vessels and disrupted shipping activity across key regional waterways.
Indian seafarers have also been among those affected by the hostilities.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said last week that 22 Indian nationals, including 14 seafarers, had lost their lives in the conflict zone.
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During a bi-weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed concern over the situation and confirmed the casualties.
"We remain deeply concerned about the situation. Regrettably, 22 Indian nationals have lost their lives in the conflict zone, including 14 seafarers," Jaiswal said.
The latest incident adds to concerns over the safety of Indian nationals working aboard commercial vessels operating in and around the conflict-affected region.
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