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One Indian Crew Member Dead, 17 Rescued After Dhow Blaze Near Strait of Hormuz

The consulate is also in touch with the dhow owner and is extending all possible assistance.

An Iranian tugboat floats in the foreground as cargo ships sit at anchor in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Monday, May 4, 2026. AP
Summary
  • An Indian sailor was killed and several others injured after their wooden dhow caught fire near the Strait of Hormuz

  • indiannThe crew members were rescued by a vessel which was passing by in the area, the sources said

  • Officials from the Indian Consulate in Dubai met the rescued Indian nationals last night

An Indian sailor was killed and four others suffered burn injuries after a wooden dhow carrying general cargo caught fire near the Strait of Hormuz, government sources said on Saturday.

The incident took place on Friday when the dhow, carrying 18 Indian crew members, caught fire and later capsized close to the strategically important maritime route. It had left Dubai on May 7 and was moving towards Mukkam in Yemen, where it caught fire around 1 am on May 8.

Seventeen Indian crew members were rescued by a passing vessel, officials said, adding that the exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined. The deceased identified as Altaf Talab Ker, was an engine driver on the dhow. He is from Salaya village in Dwarka district, Gujarat.

“A wooden dhow, carrying general cargo, with 18 Indian crew capsized yesterday close to the Strait of Hormuz after it caught fire,” a source said. “In this incident, one Indian on the dhow died while four received burn injuries. The injured are receiving medical treatment in Dubai and are safe,” the source added.

Officials from the Indian Consulate in Dubai met the rescued crew members on Friday night and are coordinating assistance efforts.

The consulate is also in contact with the owner of the dhow and is extending all possible support to the affected Indian nationals, sources said.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States in the Strait of Hormuz region, a critical global shipping route through which a large share of the world’s oil supply is transported.

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