Indian Embassy Monitors Vessel Incident Off Oman Coast, Crew Rescued

Indian Embassy "monitoring situation" involving vessel off the Oman coast

Muscat, June 10

In a post on X, the Embassy said, "We have learnt of an incident involving a vessel off the coast of Oman. We are closely monitoring the situation and in close touch with the local authorities. We shall update soon."

While the Embassy has not provided specific details regarding the name of the vessel, the number of crew members on board, or the nature of the incident, officials indicated that they are coordinating with maritime authorities to gather more information.

Earlier, in a separate incident in Omani waters, India presented itself as "grateful" to the Omani government for its excellent support in rescuing the 24 Indian crew members from the Palau-flagged tanker, MT Marivex, that caught fire after it was attacked by the US Navy off the coast of Oman, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said here on Tuesday.

The vessel caught fire after it was hit by a US missile on Monday.

"Our embassy, for the rescue purpose, contacted the Omani authorities, who swung into action. We are grateful to the Omani government for its excellent support in rescuing the crew and ensuring their safety. Our mission continues to be in touch with the seafarers," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Addressing the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Jaiswal said there was communication between the crew of MT Marivex and the US Navy before the vessel was disabled by the American forces off the coast of Oman, while confirming that all Indian crew members onboard were rescued safely.

"The ship MT Marivex was disabled off the coast of Oman. We have learned that it is a Palau-flagged vessel. We also understand there was some exchange of communication between the ship and the US Navy before the incident. There were 24 crew members on board the ship, all of them being Indian nationals. They all have been rescued and are safe," Jaiswal said.

The MEA remarks came a day after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that US forces had disabled MT Marivex in the Gulf of Oman on June 8.

According to a statement issued by CENTCOM, the Palau-flagged oil tanker was allegedly attempting to sail toward an Iranian port in violation of the US-led blockade against Iran, and was hit after the "crew failed to comply with directions from US forces."

Demonstrating its unwavering commitment to the safety and welfare of Indian seafarers worldwide, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Mumbai coordinated closely with Omani authorities to ensure the successful rescue of 24 Indian crew members following a missile attack on a merchant tanker off the coast of Oman.

Acting swiftly, OMSC Oman initiated and coordinated the rescue operation by diverting a nearby vessel and deploying two rescue helicopters to the incident area. Continuous coordination was maintained between MRCC Mumbai, OMSC Oman and other relevant stakeholders to monitor the developing situation and ensure the safety of the Indian crew.

At approximately 17:00 hrs, OMSC Oman confirmed that all 24 Indian crew members had been safely rescued by helicopters of the Oman Navy. The rescued crew members are reported to be safe, and no casualties or injuries have been reported. The vessel is presently anchored off Masirah, Oman, a release stated.

In a post on X, the Indian Coast Guard said, "Swift response by #MRCC #Mumbai following missile attack on MT Marivex in #OmanSRR. On receiving information, MRCC Mumbai immediately coordinated with OMSC Oman, ensuring the safe rescue of 24 #Indian crew by #Oman Navy helicopters."

— ANI