New Delhi: Eleven Indian sailors were injured after the Panama-flagged commercial vessel MT On Peace was hit by a projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman on Tuesday. Twelve crew members were injured in the incident, with the injured sailors later evacuated to Khasab, Oman, for medical treatment with the assistance of Omani authorities, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
MEA condemned the attack and expressed concern over the continuing threats to commercial shipping in the region. The MEA said repeated attacks on ships were a serious concern for India and called for an immediate end to such incidents in the interest of peace and stability in the region.
The ministry also stressed that commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure should not be targeted. It called for safe navigation and the restoration of normal commercial movement through international waterways at the earliest.
India thanked the Omani authorities for their assistance in evacuating the injured crew members and providing support after the incident.
The case follows as India continues to keep a close eye on the dangers that the country’s nationals who work onboard merchant ships in the area are exposed to. The government has time and again expressed concerns about the safety of seafarers as the situation escalated.
What happened to MT On Peace?
The incident took place on Tuesday while MT On Peace was transiting the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman. The vessel, which has the International Maritime Organization (IMO) number 9893204, had a total crew of 19, including 17 Indian nationals.
A projectile hit the vessel during its transit, injuring 12 members of the crew. Eleven of those injured were Indian nationals, meaning that a majority of the Indian crew members on board were affected in the incident. The MEA did not specify who fired the projectile or provide further details on the nature of the attack.
Following the incident, the injured crew members were evacuated from the vessel with assistance from Omani authorities.
The attack has added to the security risks for merchant vessels using the Strait of Hormuz, where ships have faced repeated incidents amid the wider regional conflict. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has separately reported multiple recent incidents involving commercial vessels in and around the strait, including ships being struck by unidentified projectiles.
With the ongoing attacks and security threats, it is becoming increasingly challenging for ships that want to pass through the strait. Ships transiting through the strait will have to contend with the possibility of an attack on them by the military, leading to damages to the vessel.
The disruption will also affect the predictability of sea-based trade as well. In cases where there is a deteriorating security situation, ships could be faced with delays, increased security concerns, insurance risks, and doubts about their ability to navigate along their intended route safely. Such disruptions would then affect the movement of energy and other commodities that rely on the sea passage.
India has consistently raised concerns over the safety of seafarers and the need to keep international waterways open. At the United Nations general assembly last month, external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, said attacks targeting commercial ships and seafarers transiting international waters were unacceptable and called for the safety and security of shipping to be protected.
The prime minister, Narendra Modi, had also proposed a Seafarers’ Emergency Support Network at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi to connect maritime authorities and diplomatic missions and help coordinate distress alerts, medical assistance, family notifications and evacuations.