Thirteen out of 14 Indian crew members aboard the commercial tanker MT El Gaia have been rescued following an attack off the coast of Oman, with one sailor still reported missing.
- Thirteen Indian crew members rescued after attack
- One sailor still reported missing
- Search and rescue operations currently ongoing
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the incident on Sunday, September 13, 2026, stating that search and rescue operations are ongoing. The Indian Embassy in Muscat is in constant coordination with Omani authorities to locate the missing individual, whose identity has not yet been released. India has described the targeting of commercial vessels, seafarers, and civilian infrastructure as unacceptable, calling for the restoration of safe navigation and the prioritization of diplomacy to de-escalate regional tensions.
MT El Gaia is a Panama-flagged oil products tanker, built in 2005, with IMO number 9325336. The vessel measures approximately 180 meters in length and has a deadweight capacity of about 47,999 tonnes. Maritime tracking data indicates the ship departed Sohar, Oman, on September 7 after arriving on September 4. Previous port calls included Ras Laffan, Qatar, and Al Hamriyah, UAE. While the vessel's registered owner and manager appear to be linked to the UAE, officials have provided no confirmed information regarding the attackers or the specific cause of the incident. As of Sunday night, specific details regarding the extent of the damage to the ship, the nature of the attack, and the current location of the rescued crew remained unconfirmed.
The Indian Embassy in Muscat has urged families to rely solely on official updates from the MEA or the embassy regarding the crew's status. Concerns have been raised regarding the safety of Indian seafarers working in the Gulf and Arabian Sea, a critical corridor for global energy and cargo movement. For assistance, families may contact the embassy via the toll-free Community Welfare helpline at +968 80071234, the WhatsApp contact +968 98282270, or via email at
[email protected]. Authorities emphasize that individuals seeking information should provide the vessel name, the seafarer's full name, passport or CDC details, and employer information.
