11 Indian Sailors Injured in Tanker Attack off Oman
A projectile strike on a Panama-flagged oil tanker has left several Indian sailors injured in a tanker attack within the Strait of Hormuz. The incident occurred on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, targeting the MT On Peace while it was transiting the critical maritime corridor.
Emergency Evacuation and Medical Aid
The strike resulted in injuries to 12 crew members in total, with 11 of the victims identified as Indian nationals. Following the impact, Omani authorities moved swiftly to assist the vessel, evacuating the injured sailors to a hospital located in Khasab on the Musandam peninsula to receive urgent medical treatment.
India's Ministry of External Affairs has responded to the crisis. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the details of the strike and issued a formal condemnation of the attack, which targeted both commercial shipping and the seafarers working aboard these vessels. Jaiswal also expressed gratitude to the Omani authorities for their rapid assistance in the medical evacuation.
Vessel Profile and Crew Composition
The MT On Peace is an Aframax-sized tanker that was being managed by Anglo-Eastern Tanker Management in Hong Kong and operated by ONEX DMCC. The vessel carries a total crew of 19 members, the vast majority of whom are Indian nationals. Specifically, 17 of the 19 crew members on board were from India.
Ship-tracking data from Kpler indicated that the tanker had last discharged fuel oil in Fujairah, UAE, on August 26, though its transponder had been deactivated prior to this latest incident.
Escalating Maritime Risks in the Region
This attack is the latest in a series of violent maritime incidents that have heightened concerns for international shipping. The strike follows a similar attack on September 23 involving the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged MV Cape Dao, which tragically resulted in the death of 26-year-old Indian sailor Suraj Yadav.
Reports suggest a growing pattern of instability in the region:
- Frequency of Attacks: Recent reports indicate at least seven tanker attacks have occurred in the region as of early October 2026.
- Geopolitical Tensions: The surge in maritime strikes comes amid heightened tensions involving the United States and Iran.
- Vulnerable Workforce: There is a massive Indian maritime presence in the area, with the Directorate General of Shipping estimating approximately 23,000 Indian seafarers currently in Gulf waters.
The distribution of these Indian seafarers across the region includes 12,830 in the UAE, 3,131 in Saudi Arabia, 2,372 in Qatar, 1,687 in Oman, and 276 in Bahrain. While the Indian government has confirmed the injuries, the specific identities and medical conditions of the eleven injured sailors have not yet been released to the public.