NEW DELHI: Two Indian seafarers are missing after a tanker carrying 11 Indian crew members came under a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage in Oman on Sunday, Union minister for ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said. Nine crew members have been rescued and are safe, while search-and-rescue operations are underway.Sonowal said the tanker, MT Petro Dolphin, was attacked on October 11 and that Indian authorities were coordinating with local agencies to locate the missing seafarers.“On Oct 11, tanker MT PETRO DOLPHIN, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage.While nine of our Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and are safe, two Indian nationals currently remain missing. Search-and-rescue operations are actively underway by the local Coast Guard.We are continuously coordinating with all relevant authorities to fully support the ongoing rescue efforts and ensure every possible action is taken to safely locate our missing personnel,” Sonowal said in a post on X.The Embassy of India in Muscat said it was closely monitoring the situation involving the Nicaragua-flagged tanker and maintaining contact with the concerned authorities.“The Embassy is closely monitoring the situation concerning MT Petro Dolphin, a Nicaragua-flagged tanker. Two of the 11 Indian seafarers onboard are reported missing. The Embassy is in close and continuous contact with the concerned authorities,” the embassy said on X.The incident comes days after another commercial vessel carrying Indian crew members was attacked off Oman.On October 6, India condemned the attack on the Panama-flagged vessel MT On Peace, which was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel had 19 crew members, including 17 Indian nationals. According to the ministry of external affairs (MEA), 12 crew members, including 11 Indians, were injured.“We condemn the attack earlier today on a Panama-flagged commercial vessel MT On Peace (IMO 9893204) off the coast of Oman, where it was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Of the total crew of 19, 17 are Indian nationals. It is learnt that 12 crew members have been injured, including 11 Indian nationals,” the MEA said in a statement.The ministry described the continued attacks on shipping in the region as a “cause of deep concern for India” and called for an immediate halt to such incidents.“The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and navigation and commerce through international waterways must be restored at the earliest,” the MEA statement said.
