New Delhi: A major maritime disaster was narrowly averted in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday after an oil tanker with 14 Indian crew members caught fire mid-sea. The Indian Navy’s warship, INS Tabar, swiftly responded to a distress call from the vessel — MT Yi Cheng 6 — and launched a rescue and firefighting operation that is being hailed as a textbook example of naval efficiency and preparedness.
The tanker, flying a Pulau flag, was en route from Kandla port in Gujarat to Shinas in Oman when a fire erupted in its engine room on June 29, leading to a complete power failure onboard.
“Indian Navy’s stealth frigate INS Tabar, mission deployed in the Gulf of Oman, responded to a distress call from Pulau-flagged MT Yi Cheng 6 on 29 June,” the Navy said in an official statement. “The vessel, with 14 Indian crew members, experienced a major fire in the engine room and total power failure while transiting from Kandla to Shinas.”
Following the distress alert, INS Tabar rapidly dispatched its firefighting team and equipment to the burning tanker using both a ship’s boat and an onboard helicopter. The team, comprising 13 Indian naval personnel along with five crew members of Yi Cheng 6, successfully initiated firefighting operations.
“The intensity of the fire onboard has now been drastically reduced,” the Navy said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), confirming that no casualties were reported and that evacuation efforts are continuing. The operation underscores India’s growing role in ensuring maritime safety across strategic sea lanes in the Indian Ocean Region.
This is the latest in a series of successful rescue missions executed by the Indian Navy, which has been increasingly active in maritime humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
Earlier this month, the Navy also assisted the MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship that had caught fire off the Kerala coast on June 9. The vessel was sailing from Colombo to Mumbai when a container explosion caused a massive blaze onboard.
Despite rough seas and inclement weather, a salvage team from the Southern Naval Command was deployed using a Sea King helicopter from Kochi. Braving strong winds and the ongoing fire, the team was lowered onto the vessel to initiate emergency towing procedures and prevent it from drifting toward the shore.
Both operations highlight the Indian Navy’s growing reputation as a first responder in maritime emergencies — not just for India’s merchant fleet, but for international vessels as well. The quick mobilisation of assets like INS Tabar and the successful containment of life-threatening incidents at sea reaffirm India’s commitment to upholding maritime safety and supporting distressed vessels in regional waters.
With increasing traffic through the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman — critical arteries for global oil and trade flows — such capabilities are becoming ever more crucial.
