A commercial cargo vessel carrying 24 Indian seafarers reportedly came under a suspected attack off the coast of Oman near the strategically sensitive Strait of Hormuz, triggering emergency distress calls and prompting urgent appeals for intervention from Indian authorities.
The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) on Sunday sought immediate assistance, stating that Indian crew members on board were in distress in a high-risk maritime zone amid rising tensions in West Asia linked to the Israel-Iran conflict.
In a post on X, the union flagged the emergency location and urged action from Indian agencies. The post read:
"Indian Navy in Harmouz 24 Indian Seafarers seeking urgent assistance at 2057.07N 059 degree 0813 off coast Oman onboard @IndiannavyMedia @MEAIndia @DrSJaishankar @shipmin_india @ITFglobalunion,"
The FSUI did not specify the nature of the reported attack, the vessel’s name, or the condition of the crew. There has been no immediate official confirmation from the Indian Navy, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), or other government authorities regarding the incident.
According to maritime sources, the Palau-flagged cargo vessel was sailing approximately 15 nautical miles off the Omani coast when it was allegedly struck by a suspected drone or missile attack, triggering an explosion that damaged the engine room and caused a major fire onboard.
Initial reports suggest the blast severely impacted the vessel’s engine room, leading to flooding and loss of stability, with crew members issuing distress signals as conditions deteriorated rapidly. Sources also indicated that lifeboats may have been damaged, complicating evacuation efforts.
The vessel is believed to have been operating in a critical shipping corridor near the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy chokepoint through which a significant share of crude oil shipments pass.
The incident comes amid heightened maritime security concerns in the region following escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran, with commercial shipping routes in and around the Gulf under close monitoring due to fears of disruption to global trade and energy flows.
Separately, reports note that an Indian dhow had recently faced a maritime incident off the coast of Oman in earlier weeks, though all 14 crew members on board were safely rescued by the Omani Coast Guard.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation, with further details awaited on the condition of the vessel and the Indian crew.
