11 Indian crew members evacuated from vessel Virat 1 off Oman coast, after engine failure
Muscat, June 14
As many as 11 Indian crew members have been evacuated from Mechanised Sailing Vessel Virat 1 after engine failure off the coast of Oman, while efforts are being made to rescue three other crew members, the Indian Embassy in Oman said on Sunday.
According to the embassy, 11 of the 14 crew members MSC Virat 1 have been rescued and taken onboard by MV Jabal Ali 9.
In a statement shared on X, the Indian Embassy in Oman stated, "In a closely coordinated and ongoing rescue operation at sea, 11 of the 14 crew members of MSC Virat 1 have been rescued and taken onboard by MV Jabal Ali 9. The rescue operation of the remaining members will complete shortly."
Earlier in the day, the embassy stated that Indian Flagged Mechanised Sailing Vessel Virat 1 experienced an engine failure and rescue operation was being conducted to evacuate crew members.
"It has emerged that the vessel experienced an engine failure, and the crew eventually transferred safely to a liferaft. Rescue operation is presently underway through ships in vicinity, under coordination of Omani authorities," the Indian Embassy in Oman posted on X.
Notably, the commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members recently came under by the US marine forces off the coast of Oman.
Following this, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks to lodge India's strong protest against the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian seafarers in the Gulf of Oman, stressing that Washington's actions are "unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce" in a sensitive region.
"A strong protest was lodged with him regarding the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners in the Gulf of Oman, which have already resulted in the tragic and avoidable loss of three Indian lives," the MEA said in a statement.
"The Ministry once again conveyed its deep concern over the use of lethal and deadly force against civilian shipping. Such actions are unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce in a sensitive region at a difficult time," it added.
The MEA stated that the US Charge d'Affaires was requested to convey India's strong concerns to US authorities and ensure that US forces operating in the region take all necessary measures to stop the loss of civilian life.
This marked the second time that the US official was summoned by the MEA in recent days over the attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman.
Earlier on Wednesday, India had summoned the US Charge d'Affaires to lodge a "strong protest" over recent attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman, including the commercial ship 'Settebello', where three Indian seafarers were killed.
On Thursday, the Indian Embassy in Muscat said that all 20 Indian crew members on board 'MT Jalveer' were rescued with the support of Omani authorities.
On Wednesday, an attack was reported on a commercial vessel, 'Settebello', off the coast of Oman. Of the 24 Indian crew members onboard the vessel, 21 were rescued while three others were killed.
The first incident involved 'MT Marivex' on June 8, when a fire erupted aboard the vessel carrying 24 Indian seafarers south of the Strait of Hormuz.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I'm glad 11 were rescued by MV Jabal Ali 9, but I can't stop thinking about the remaining 3. And this whole situation with US naval forces attacking commercial vessels... it's just senseless. The MEA must do more to protect our people working on these ships. Our fishermen and sailors already have a tough life, they don't need this added danger. 😢
Respect to the Omani authorities for coordinating the rescue! The Indian Embassy in Muscat is doing some solid ground work. But I'm honestly concerned - this is the third incident involving Indian crews in Gulf of Oman in just over a week. The US needs to rethink their rules of engagement. Using lethal force on civilian ships is not the answer, and India is right to push back diplomatically.
I know the US says they're targeting pirates and smugglers, but how does that justify killing innocent Indian sailors on the Settebello? Three families are grieving right now because of "friendly fire" or whatever they want to call it. MEA summoning the US Charge d'Affaires twice is necessary - these are Indian lives, not just statistics. The maritime safety in this region is falling apart.
Reading this makes me so anxious! My cousin is a merchant navy officer and he's scheduled for duty in that region next month. These engine failures and attacks are happening too frequently. I hope the government ensures better safety protocols and maybe even naval escorts for Indian crew vessels. The Strait of Hormuz is already volatile, now it's becoming a death trap for our seafarers. 🥺
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