An Indian seafarer has been killed after a dhow carrying 14 crew members came under attack off the coast of Oman while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs. The vessel, identified as MSV AL JUSUFI, was attacked while sailing out of the strategic waterway.
Oman’s Royal Navy rescued the 13 surviving crew members, according to a warning issued by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). UKMTO said it was unaware of the vessel’s current status. India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the fatality, adding that it was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating arrangements for the early repatriation of the rescued seafarers and the remains of the deceased.
The ministry also called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and renewed efforts towards a peaceful resolution. “The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest,” the ministry said.
The fatal attack comes amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that three oil tankers struck mines overnight on 3 November while attempting to use a route Tehran had not authorised. The IRGC claimed the vessels were stranded along the southern shores of the strait and had caught fire.
However, the claims have not been independently verified. Since 31 August, the Iranian military force has repeatedly reported alleged mine strikes involving commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. It also claimed that two tankers were hit overnight between 1 and 2 November.