A Panama-flagged commercial vessel carrying 19 crew members was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman, injuring 12 people, including 11 Indian nationals, India's Ministry of External Affairs said.
The incident involved the MT On Peace, a vessel identified by IMO number 9893204. Of its 19-member crew, 17 are Indian nationals, according to the MEA.
The injured crew members were evacuated with the assistance of Omani authorities and are receiving medical treatment in Khasab, Oman. The MEA thanked the Omani authorities for their support in the evacuation and medical response.
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India condemned the attack, saying the continuing incidents targeting shipping in the region were a deep concern.
"We reiterate our call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interests of peace and stability in the region," the ministry said in a statement.
The MEA also called for an end to attacks targeting commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure, stressing that navigation and commerce through international waterways must be restored at the earliest.
The latest incident adds to a growing list of attacks involving commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz and Omani waters, raising concerns over the safety of Indian seafarers operating in the region.
Recent Attacks On Ships
Earlier on Friday, India's embassy in Oman coordinated the rescue of five Indian nationals who were aboard the Kuwaiti-flagged MT Kazima III, after an oil tanker was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. The embassy said the five Indians were safely brought ashore.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre said a tanker had reported being hit by an unknown projectile around 3 pm local time on Friday. The incident caused a small fire and a blackout aboard the vessel. It was not immediately clear whether the vessel was MT Kazima III.
The latest attack also comes days after the MV Cape Dao was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on September 23. One Indian national, Uttar Pradesh resident Suraj Yadav, was killed in the incident. Twenty other Indians aboard the vessel, along with other crew members, were rescued.
New Delhi had condemned that attack and called for an end to the targeting of merchant vessels and civilians in West Asia.
Earlier, the MT El Gaia was attacked off the Omani coast, leaving one of its 14 Indian crew members missing. Thirteen Indians were rescued.
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The attacks have added to the risks faced by Indian seafarers amid the wider West Asia conflict. The MEA said on September 29 that 163 Indian mariners were aboard 12 vessels located in the Persian Gulf west of the Strait of Hormuz.
Indian seafarers have also been affected by attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and by strikes in the Black Sea amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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