New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday dismissed reports claiming that an Indian-crewed commercial vessel had come under attack near the coast of Oman, stating that all crew members aboard the ship are safe.
The clarification came amid heightened concerns over maritime security in the Gulf region following a series of attacks on commercial vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government had directly contacted the master of the vessel, MT Liaki Freedom, to verify the reports.
“We have spoken with the Master of the vessel Liaki Freedom, who has confirmed that all crew members are safe and that the reported information is false,” Jaiswal told reporters.
Earlier in the day, reports had claimed that the vessel, carrying Indian crew members, had been attacked by the United States off the Omani coast, raising fears of another escalation in the already volatile Gulf region.
Before the MEA issued its clarification, the Forward Seamen’s Union of India had said it was unable to establish communication with the vessel as its Very High Frequency (VHF) radio was not responding. However, the union noted that it was still able to track the ship’s location through maritime monitoring systems.
The reports surfaced against the backdrop of several recent attacks on Indian-crewed tankers in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.
On June 10, the tanker MT Settebello was struck after US missiles reportedly hit its engine compartment, killing three Indian sailors and leaving 21 others rescued safely. A day later, MT Jalveer came under attack when missiles hit its engine room, though all 20 crew members escaped unharmed.
Earlier, on June 8, the tanker Marivex was reportedly attacked, triggering a fire and forcing the evacuation of its crew.
The US Central Command has maintained that the vessels were violating restrictions related to Iranian ports and had failed to comply with instructions issued by American forces.
The region has also witnessed tensions involving Iran. In April this year, two Indian crude oil tankers were reportedly fired upon by the Iranian navy north of Oman. While no casualties were reported, both vessels were forced to turn back from the Strait of Hormuz.
Following those incidents, India lodged a diplomatic protest and reiterated its concern over the safety of Indian seafarers and commercial shipping routes in the region.
The MEA’s latest clarification is expected to ease immediate concerns surrounding MT Liaki Freedom, even as tensions continue to simmer in one of the world’s busiest and most strategically important maritime corridors.
