Two Indian seafarers are missing following a drone attack on the tanker MT Petro Dolphin off the coast of Oman on Sunday, Indian officials have confirmed. Nine other Indian crew members were rescued from the Nicaragua-flagged vessel.
The attack occurred at Sohar Anchorage, according to India's Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal. "On October 11, tanker MT Petro Dolphin, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack," Sonowal posted on the social media platform X. "While nine of our Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and are safe, two Indian nationals currently remain missing."
The minister stated that local Coast Guard authorities are actively conducting search-and-rescue operations. "We are continuously coordinating with all relevant authorities to fully support the ongoing rescue efforts," he added.
The Embassy of India in Muscat also released a statement saying it was "closely monitoring the situation" and was in "close and continuous contact with the concerned authorities."
This incident is the latest in a series of attacks on commercial shipping in the region. On October 6, another vessel, the MT On Peace, was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. That ship had 17 Indian nationals in its crew, 11 of whom were among the 12 injured in the attack.
Following the October 6 incident, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the attack and stated that the continuing incidents "remain a cause of deep concern for India." The ministry reiterated its call for an immediate end to such attacks and emphasized that the targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers must stop.
Source: Zarin TV
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