Fire on Tanker Rescues 24 Indian Crew Members Off Oman’s Coast
A fire broke out on a Palau-flagged tanker named MT Marivex, which was carrying a crew of 24 Indians. The incident occurred when the vessel was reportedly attacked by the US Navy off the coast of Oman on Monday. Fortunately, all crew members were safely evacuated by the Oman Air Force shortly after the incident.
The fire alarm was raised at around 1:30 PM, according to Opesh Kumar Sharma, a director in India’s shipping ministry. He stated that the tanker was well south of the Strait of Hormuz and was not carrying any cargo at the time. The Indian embassy in Muscat expressed gratitude to Omani officials for their swift action in rescuing the crew.
Audio recordings from the crew indicated that they were under distress, claiming the ship caught fire due to a missile attack on the engine room by the US Navy.
Reports suggest that Marivex had been blacklisted and sanctioned by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for violating American sanctions related to Iranian and Russian oil. The vessel attempted to evade US restrictions by using Oman’s waters while turning off its signal devices.
The shipping ministry in India worked closely with the defense ministry, the Indian Navy, and the embassy in Oman to ensure the crew’s return to safety.
According to maritime tracking data, the tanker was navigating from Karwar, Karnataka, to Duqm in Oman. Following this incident, the Forward Seamen’s Union of India expressed deep concern, urging immediate actions to protect maritime safety and support the families of the crew.
This incident occurs amid rising tensions in the region. Since February, Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, and recent hostilities between Israel and Iran have heightened concerns for safety at sea. To date, ten Indian nationals have lost their lives in the region due to ongoing conflicts, including three seafarers who were killed during attacks on vessels.
