A Kuwait-flagged oil products tanker carrying 21 Indian seafarers was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, October 21, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced, adding that every crew member is safe, IANS reported.
Source: IANS via IANS Live
"On Oct 21, Kuwait-flagged oil product tanker M/T AL DASMA, carrying 21 Indian seafarers, was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. All 21 of our Indian crew members, along with the rest of the crew are completely safe," Sonowal said in a post on X. "We are continuously monitoring the situation and remain in close contact with the ship management company to ensure the ongoing security and wellbeing of our seafarers," he added, IANS reported.
Source: IANS via HiIndia
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) tracked the strike at around 11 nautical miles west of Bukha in Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz. The strike sparked a fire on board, which was later extinguished, and the tanker was anchored after the fire was brought under control, with no environmental impact reported at the time of the advisory, Madhyamam reported, citing UKMTO and IANS inputs.
Source: Madhyamam (citing UKMTO and IANS)
Third such incident involving Indian crew this month
The Al Dasma strike is the latest in a series of incidents involving commercial vessels with Indian crew in and around the Gulf. On October 16, the crude oil tanker MT ST 3, which had 15 Indian seafarers on board, was also hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, and all Indian nationals aboard were reported safe. On October 14, the chemical tanker YARA J was reportedly struck by a drone at the Sulina Anchorage off Romania, with nine Indian crew members aboard, Mirror Now reported.
Source: Mirror Now
India has repeatedly condemned attacks on commercial shipping and merchant mariners, describing them as legally and morally indefensible, and has stressed the need for freedom of navigation and the safe and unimpeded flow of maritime commerce through international waterways, IANS reported. No group has been named in connection with the Al Dasma strike, and the projectile remains unidentified in the official accounts.
Source: IANS via BizzBuzz