1 missing, 13 rescued after vessel attacked off Oman in Strait of Hormuz

India on Sunday said 13 crew members were rescued, while one remains missing after an attack on a vessel off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs, while condemning the attack on the commercial vessel “MT El Gaia,” said 14 Indian crew members were on board when the attack happened and one remained missing.

“Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing Search and Rescue operation. We thank the Omani authorities for their support in rescuing our nationals,” the ministry said.

New Delhi, while calling for “immediate de-escalation of tensions and pursuance of dialogue and diplomacy to bring peace to the region,” said the “targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable.”

“We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through the international waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” the ministry said.

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Early Sunday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said that a vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz had been struck by an unidentified munition.

An online statement said no information was available on the condition of the crew, the extent of the damage or the vessel’s potential effect on the surrounding environment.

The maritime authority said an investigation is underway and advised vessels to proceed with caution and report suspicious activity.

Traffic through the critical Strait of Hormuz remains well below levels before the start of the US-Iran war this February amid continued security risks and attacks on commercial vessels going through regional waters.

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