Indian seafarer killed as cargo vessel is attacked off Oman coast
Thirteen crew members were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard after an unidentified aerial object struck the MSV Al Jusufi.
A 26-year-old seafarer from Gujarat was killed after the Indian-flagged cargo vessel MSV Al Jusufi was struck by an unidentified aerial object near Limah, Oman, on Monday. Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed that the vessel was navigating the coast at 4pm when the incident occurred, according to reports by Hindustan Times, Moneycontrol and Deccan Herald.
The deceased has been identified as Gandhar Nahim Ajij, a resident of Salaya in the Devbhumi Dwarka district of Gujarat. He died while being transported to a hospital at Khasab Port in Oman. The vessel had departed from Hamriyah Port in the UAE on October 31 for Porbandar in Gujarat.
Thirteen other Indian crew members were safely evacuated in a liferaft and rescued by the Omani Coast Guard. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the attack on the commercial ship and expressed condolences for the loss of life.
The MEA stated that the ongoing attacks on merchant vessels in the region are a matter of serious concern. The ministry called for an immediate reduction in tensions and urged for a diplomatic solution to restore peace and stability. It also demanded an end to the targeting of civilian infrastructure and commercial shipping.
The Indian embassy in Oman is currently working with local authorities to assist the survivors and facilitate the repatriation of the rescued crew and the body of the deceased. This death brings the total number of Indian citizens killed since the start of the West Asia conflict in February to 23.