Two commercial tankers carrying Indian crews were attacked in separate incidents near the Strait of Hormuz and Oman on October 11, leaving two Indian sailors missing and prompting New Delhi to demand an end to attacks on commercial shipping.
The Nicaragua-flagged MT Petro Dolphin, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was struck by a drone at the Sohar anchorage off northern Oman. Nine crew members were rescued and reported safe, while local coast guard units continued searching for the two missing sailors. In the second incident, the Marshall Islands-flagged MT Valthera was hit by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz region, causing a fire onboard.
All 11 Indian seafarers aboard that vessel were reported safe. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said its embassy in Muscat was coordinating with Omani authorities and the shipping companies involved. The ministry condemned the attacks and warned that repeated strikes on merchant vessels could worsen an already volatile regional security situation.
It called for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy, while insisting that commercial ships, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must not be targeted. The incidents have renewed concerns about the safety of shipping through one of the world’s most important maritime passages.