Two Tankers Attacked Near Strait of Hormuz As Search Continues For Missing Seafarer
On 19 September 2026, two foreign-flagged tankers carrying Indian crew members were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz. The Panama-flagged crude tanker MT Basrah Energy was struck by a projectile in its funnel while sailing eastbound; all 22 crew members, including 14 Indian nationals, remained unharmed and the vessel subsequently reached Fujairah anchorage. Concurrently, the Togo-flagged oil product tanker Trend was struck by a drone near Khasab Port, Oman, with crew details currently limited.
Previous Incidents And Missing Seafarer
These incidents follow the 12–13 September 2026 strike on the Panama-flagged tanker MT El Gaia near the Omani coast. Of the 25 crew members—14 Indians and 11 Pakistanis—23 were rescued. Two engine room watchmen remain missing: Indian oiler Sumit Kumar Singh, from Kiratpur Rajaram village, Bhagwanpur thana, in the Vaishali/Muzaffarpur belt of Bihar, and Pakistani third engineer Muhammad Hammad Obaida of Karachi. Sumit’s family, including his wife Komal Priya, has received no confirmation of his status, leading relatives to perform last rites using an effigy. The Forward Seamen’s Union of India is demanding a transparent search of the vessel, hourly updates, and increased accountability.
Official Reports And Regional Impact
Contradictory reports surround the MT El Gaia incident. Iran’s IRGC Navy claimed the vessel struck naval mines while on an illegal route and caught fire, whereas U.S. Central Command asserted the ship was disabled by an Iranian missile before a drone strike. The Indian government has condemned the attacks and confirmed search-and-rescue operations are ongoing, though it has not formally assigned blame. Data indicates approximately 7.6 million Indians reside in the six GCC states, with over 18,000 Indian seafarers engaged in Gulf maritime operations. Currently, six Indian-flagged ships and eight foreign-flagged vessels of Indian interest remain west of the strait, carrying 153 Indian crew members. Ten additional vessels of Indian interest within the Persian Gulf have been identified for potential evacuation. On 18 September 2026, India formally condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including targets near Makkah, citing threats to regional peace and navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb, noting that nearly 2.75 million Indians reside in Saudi Arabia.