Gujarat sailor dies after Indian ship struck in Oman waters
A 25-year-old sailor from Porbandar died after an unidentified projectile hit a cargo ship carrying dates near the Omani coast.
A 25-year-old sailor from Porbandar, Gujarat, died after an unidentified projectile struck the Indian-flagged Mechanised Sailing Vessel (MSV) Al Jusufi in Omani waters on November 2, according to The Indian Express.
The vessel was carrying 950 metric tonnes of dates and 14 Indian crew members when it was hit near the coast of Oman. While 13 crew members were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard, the sailor, identified as Nahim Ajij Gandhar, succumbed to his injuries.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal stated that the crew was navigating near the Omani shoreline when the unidentified aerial object struck. Sonowal said the Ministry and the Indian Embassy in Oman are in contact with local authorities to assist the survivors and facilitate the repatriation of the crew and the deceased.
The vessel, which left Hamriyah port in the UAE on October 31, sank off the coast of Oman after a fire broke out following the strike. The owner of the vessel, Akbar Ahmed Sumbhaniya, estimated the loss at approximately Rs 1 crore.
The Indian Sailing Vessels Association has requested the government and the Ministry of External Affairs to coordinate with Omani authorities for consular assistance and the repatriation of the surviving crew members.
The Ministry condemned the attack and called for the de-escalation of tensions in the region. Gandhar is survived by his mother and brother.