22 Indian seafarers safe after tanker strike off Sharjah as Gulf shipping risks rise
(Representative picture via Wikimedia Commons.)
New Delhi: All 22 Indian seafarers aboard the Panama-flagged crude oil tanker MT GEM NO. 2 were reported safe after an attack at Sharjah Anchorage in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday. The confirmation by the Union minister for ports, shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, came amid growing security concerns over attacks targeting commercial vessels in Gulf waters.
Sonowal described the October 9 incident as a drone attack and said Indian authorities were maintaining contact with the ship management company to ensure the crew’s safety.
“We are continuously monitoring the situation and in contact with the ship management company to ensure security and wellbeing of our seafarers,” Sonowal said in a post on X. The update followed an earlier maritime security warning that had not established the crew’s condition.
Projectile strike triggers fire off UAE coast
UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), in Warning 160-26, reported that a vessel was struck by an “unknown projectile” at 1000 UTC on Friday, about 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazeera, off the UAE coast. The impact caused a fire aboard the vessel, which was later extinguished.
UKMTO initially did not identify the ship and said the crew’s condition, extent of damage and possible environmental impact remained unknown. Two shipping and security sources later identified the tanker as GEM NO. 2, according to Reuters.
Although Sonowal described the incident as a drone attack, the maritime security agency did not establish the projectile’s origin. Authorities were investigating and vessels operating in the area were advised to exercise caution.
India pushes for greater maritime security
The incident follows other attacks on commercial shipping in Gulf waters. UKMTO reported another tanker struck by multiple projectiles north of Qatar on October 7, with casualties reported, although no connection between the incidents has been established.
Earlier this month, five Indians aboard the Kuwait-flagged tanker MT Kazimah III were brought ashore safely after a projectile strike in the Strait of Hormuz, as RNA Media reported earlier.
The growing risks have prompted wider diplomatic engagement. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said on Friday that the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers (GoF on S4) aims to bring together major shipping nations, vessel registries and countries with large seafaring communities to strengthen international cooperation and protect commercial shipping.
The initiative was launched in New York on September 25, on the sidelines of the 81st UN general assembly. Its inaugural meeting was co-chaired by the external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, and Liberia’s foreign minister, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, with 25 countries participating. India is a major source of seafarers, while Liberia maintains the world’s largest shipping registry by tonnage.
In a joint statement on October 8, India and Liberia condemned attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf and Black Sea, describing them as “simply indefensible” and calling for their immediate cessation. Both countries also expressed condolences to the families of seafarers killed in recent attacks and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
Indian authorities continue to monitor MT GEM NO. 2 through its management company. While all 22 seafarers have been reported safe, the extent of damage, any environmental consequences and responsibility for the attack remain unconfirmed.
