Middle East conflict: 13 Indian seafarers rescued after commercial ship attacked off Oman coast, 1 missing

The MEA identified the vessel as MT El Gaia and said 14 Indian crew members were onboard at the time of the incident.

“Of the 14 Indian crew onboard, 13 Indians have been rescued so far,” the Ministry said in a statement.

Search and rescue operations are continuing for the remaining Indian national who is still missing, the MEA said.

“Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing Search and Rescue operation. We thank the Omani authorities for their support in rescuing our nationals,” the Ministry said.

The MEA also called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions in the region and urged all sides to pursue dialogue and diplomacy.

“We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and pursuance of dialogue and diplomacy to bring peace to the region. The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable,” the statement said.

The Ministry further called for the restoration of safe maritime movement and international trade routes in the region.

“We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through the international waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” it said.

Shipping Routes Face Growing Security Threats

Maritime traffic and commercial shipping routes across the Middle East have come under severe pressure amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, raising concerns over the safety of vessels and their crews.

The United Nations has warned that the global shipping industry is facing a “genuinely unprecedented” convergence of maritime crises, with vessels and seafarers increasingly being used as leverage in conflicts unrelated to the ships themselves.

Four key maritime regions — the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, waters off Somalia and the Black Sea — are simultaneously facing heightened security risks, creating an exceptionally challenging environment for the global shipping industry.

Vessels and seafarers are increasingly being caught up in conflicts despite having no connection to the disputes themselves.

Damien Chevalier, Director of the Maritime Safety Division at the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO), recently spoke to UN News about the growing threats facing commercial shipping and the measures being taken to protect vessels and their crews.