New Delhi [India], October 17 (ANI): All 24 Indian seafarers aboard two vessels involved in separate incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and Romania are safe, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said on Friday.
In a post on X, Sonowal said crude oil tanker MT ST 3, carrying 15 Indian seafarers, was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on October 16, while chemical tanker YARA J, carrying nine Indian seafarers, was hit by a drone at Sulina Anchorage in Romania on October 14.
⚠️ IMPORTANT UPDATE ⚠️ On Oct 16, crude oil tanker MT ST 3, carrying 15 Indian seafarers, was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz; additionally, an incident on Oct 14 involved chemical tanker YARA J, carrying 9 Indian seafarers, hit by a drone at Sulina Anchorage, Romania. Thankfully, all 24 Indian nationals across both vessels are completely safe with no casualties or injuries. We are continuously monitoring both situations and remain in close contact with the ship management companies to ensure the ongoing security and wellbeing of our crew members.
— Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) October 16, 2026
“Thankfully, all 24 Indian nationals across both vessels are completely safe with no casualties or injuries,” Sonowal said.
The minister added that the government was closely monitoring both incidents and coordinating with the ship management companies to ensure the safety and well-being of the Indian crew members.
“We are continuously monitoring both situations and remain in close contact with the ship management companies to ensure the ongoing security and wellbeing of our crew members,” he said.
Earlier, on Thursday (local time), India strongly condemned attacks on maritime navigation and commercial shipping amid the escalating conflict in West Asia, reiterating that such strikes are “legally and morally indefensible” and calling for the protection of seafarers, including Indian nationals.
Addressing the United Nations Security Council's quarterly open debate on the situation in the Middle East, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said that India called for an immediate de-escalation of hostilities and urged all parties to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
India also stressed that attacks on commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must cease, while freedom of navigation and the safe and unimpeded flow of maritime commerce through international waterways must be upheld in accordance with international law.
“The safety and security of seafarers remains a priority for Government of India and these recurring attacks risk further aggravation of a very volatile situation,” the envoy said.
Meanwhile, on October 11, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal said two Indian nationals remain missing after the Nicaragua-flagged tanker MT Petro Dolphin, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage on October 11, while nine crew members have been rescued and are safe.
In a post shared on X, Sonowal said search-and-rescue operations were underway by the local Coast Guard and that Indian authorities were coordinating with the relevant agencies to support efforts to locate the missing seafarers.
“On Oct 11, tanker MT PETRO DOLPHIN, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage. While nine of our Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and are safe, two Indian nationals currently remain missing. Search-and-rescue operations are actively underway by the local Coast Guard. 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,” Sonowal said.
The Embassy of India in Oman also said it was closely monitoring the situation and remained in contact with the concerned authorities.
In a separate post on X, Sonowal said all 11 Indian seafarers aboard the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker M/T Valthera were safe after the vessel was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on October 11, resulting in a fire onboard.
“On Oct 11, Marshall Islands-flagged tanker M/T Valthera, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in an onboard fire. Thankfully, all 11 of our Indian crew members are reported to be safe. We are continuously monitoring the situation and remain in contact with the ship management company to ensure ongoing safety and wellbeing of our seafarers,” Sonowal said.
Earlier, on October 9, the Panama-flagged crude oil tanker MT GEM NO. 2, carrying 22 Indian nationals, was subjected to a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage. Sonowal had said all 22 Indian seafarers aboard the vessel were safe.
The latest incidents come amid a series of reported attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf region, as tensions in West Asia continue to raise concerns over maritime safety and the security of seafarers operating in the region. (ANI)
