Two foreign-flagged tankers carrying Indian crew members were struck near the Strait of Hormuz and off the coast of Oman on Thursday.
- Panama-flagged MT Basrah Energy hit by projectile
- Togo-flagged oil product tanker Trend attacked by drone
- Search continues for missing Bihar seafarer Sumit Kumar Singh
The Panama-flagged MT Basrah Energy was hit by a projectile in its funnel while sailing eastbound outside the strait. All 22 crew members aboard, including 14 Indians, were reported safe, and the vessel subsequently reached Fujairah. Several hours later, the Togo-flagged oil product tanker Trend was attacked by a drone near Khasab Port, Oman, though further details remain scarce.
These incidents occur as the search continues for Sumit Kumar Singh, an oiler from Vaishali, Bihar, who has been missing for six days following an attack on the MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman on September 13. Sumit was on duty in the engine room during the assault. While 13 of the 14 Indian crew members were rescued, Sumit and one Pakistani crew member remain missing. Sumit’s family in Kiratpur Rajaram village has conducted symbolic last rites using an effigy; the sailor leaves behind a wife and two young children.
The Forward Seamen's Union of India is calling for hourly updates, a transparent search of the engine room conducted in the presence of Indian embassy officials, and accountability from both the ship owners and the parties responsible for the attacks. Currently, 153 Indian seafarers remain in the Persian Gulf west of the Strait of Hormuz across six Indian-flagged and eight foreign-flagged ships of Indian interest. The Directorate of Maritime Administration is actively tracking these vessels, despite prior directives from the DG Shipping barring new deployments through the strait. Iran's IRGC Navy has alleged that vessels are utilizing illegal routes south of the strait, while the United States has provided conflicting reports regarding the use of missiles and drones. Indian expatriates and workers across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain continue to face regional instability, including flight disruptions and ongoing job anxiety, amidst the targeting of merchant vessels.
