NEW DELHI: An India-flagged cargo vessel was struck by an “unidentified aerial object” off Oman, killing one Indian crew member, New Delhi said Tuesday.
Indian Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the tanker MSV Al Jusufi had 14 Indian seafarers on board when it was attacked.
“While 13 crew members safely evacuated and were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard, I am deeply saddened to report that one of our seafarers, Gandhar Nahim Ajij from Gujarat, tragically succumbed to his injuries,” Sonowal said in a statement on social media.
India is one of the largest contributors of sailors to merchant shipping worldwide, with more than 320,000 active seafarers in 2025, according to the shipping ministry.
Several of its mariners have been killed in attacks in the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28.
India’s foreign ministry has repeatedly condemned attacks on commercial vessels, calling for unimpeded and safe navigation through international waters.
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