US Navy rescues 14 Indian sailors after vessel sinks off Oman
Indian crew evacuated safely following engine failure aboard MSV Virat 1
Rescue comes amid rising India-US tensions over Gulf shipping incidents
The US Navy rescued 14 Indian sailors on Sunday after their vessel, MSV Virat 1, began sinking approximately 80 nautical miles east of Ras Al Hadd off the coast of Oman, the Hindustan Times reported citing sources.
A US Navy P-8 maritime patrol aircraft spotted the stricken Indian-flagged dhow and dropped a life raft, monitoring the crew as they boarded it, sources told the newspaper. The aircraft also alerted Omani shore authorities and the Indian Navy of the situation. All 14 sailors successfully transferred to the life raft.
The P-8 subsequently contacted MV Jabal Ali 9, a St Kitts and Nevis-flagged vessel that had last called at Sohar and was bound for Mumbai, requesting it render assistance. The vessel moved to the vicinity of the stricken dhow to support the rescue operation.
The Indian Embassy in Oman said it had been made aware of the incident and that a search and rescue operation was being coordinated with Omani authorities. In a follow-up statement, the embassy confirmed the vessel had suffered an engine failure, after which the crew was safely transferred to the life raft. "Rescue operation is presently underway through ships in the vicinity, under the coordination of Omani authorities," it said.
India-US Maritime Tension
The goodwill of Sunday's rescue sits against a backdrop of serious bilateral tension. Earlier in the week, the Indian government confirmed the deaths of three Indian seafarers from MT Settebello after the vessel was attacked. Of the 24 Indians on board, 21 were rescued. On the same day, US forces fired Hellfire missiles into the engine room of MT Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker near the Oman coast, though all 20 Indian crew members were evacuated safely.
The Ministry of External Affairs summoned US Chargé d'Affaires Jason Meeks. "A strong protest was lodged with him regarding the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners in the Gulf of Oman, which have already resulted in the tragic and avoidable loss of three Indian lives," the MEA said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised the matter directly with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a call on Friday.
In response, US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Rubio had conveyed that any violation of the American blockade and illicit transport of Iranian oil through the Strait of Hormuz would not be tolerated, and stressed that "all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from US forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the Strait."
The exchange has drawn sharp criticism from India's opposition. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of remaining silent in the face of Indian deaths at the hands of a country with which he has cultivated close personal ties.
"Just days after the murder of three Indian sailors in American attacks, there is no remorse, no apology. On the contrary, America has continued issuing orders. Read their words: 'Comply immediately with the orders of the US military'. No violation 'will be tolerated'," Gandhi wrote on X, quoting Rubio's statement.
