A projectile struck the commercial vessel MT On Peace near Oman.
Eleven Indian crew members were injured and evacuated to Khasab.
India condemned the attack amid escalating Strait of Hormuz tensions.
A projectile hit the Panama-flagged commercial vessel MT On Peace while it was passing the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, injuring 11 Indian crew members and prompting a strong condemnation from India.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that 12 crew members, of whom 11 were Indians, were injured. He added that 17 of the vessel’s 19 crew members were Indian nationals. He further thanked the Omani authorities for rescuing the injured crew members and providing them with medical treatment, according to the Hindustan Times.
Jaiswal said, “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.”
He further added, "It is learnt that 12 crew members have been injured, including 11 Indian nationals. With the assistance of Omani authorities, the injured crew have since been evacuated and are receiving medical treatment in Khasab, Oman. We thank the Omani authorities for their valuable support.”
The vessel carried 19 crew members, including 17 Indian nationals.
The spokesperson further informed that the injured crew members were evacuated with the help of Omani authorities and taken to Khasab, Oman, where they are receiving medical treatment.
“With the assistance of Omani authorities, the injured crew have since been evacuated and are receiving medical treatment in Khasab, Oman. We thank the Omani authorities for their valuable support,” the MEA said.
The incident occurred just a few days after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a commercial tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz was forced to turn back after being threatened by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
There has been a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz after the US and Israel war on Iran. Iran initially restricted traffic and demanded transit tolls to recover its infrastructure that was damaged by the US bombing, effectively closing the crucial waterway.
Despite temporary truces and memorandums of understanding between the US and Iran, the Strait is not yet open because both countries have not reached a deal yet.
