Two Indian Sailors Missing After Drone Strike Targets Tanker off Oman’s Coast

By Staff, Agencies

Two Indian nationals remain missing following a drone strike on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman, while nine other crew members were rescued, according to a senior Indian official on Sunday.

Indian Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the tanker, MT PETRO DOLPHIN, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, came under a drone strike at Sohar Anchorage on October 11.

“While nine of our Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and are safe, two Indian nationals currently remain missing,” Sonowal wrote in a post on the US-based social media platform X.

He added that local coast guard teams had launched search and rescue operations to locate the missing crew members.

“We are continuously coordinating with all relevant authorities to fully support the ongoing rescue efforts and ensure every possible action is taken to safely locate our missing personnel,” the minister said.

The incident comes amid escalating regional tensions following the US-“Israeli” attacks on Iran on February 28, which prompted Tehran to retaliate against “Israeli” targets and US military installations across the region.

The conflict has also severely disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that serves as a major corridor for global energy supplies.

Iran has linked the full reopening of the strait to several conditions, including an end to hostilities, sanctions relief, the release of frozen Iranian assets and the fulfillment of commitments by Washington.

At least 16 Indian seafarers have been killed since the outbreak of the war in February, underscoring the growing risks facing maritime crews amid the ongoing regional conflict.