An Indian-flagged cargo vessel sank near the coast of Oman following a suspected drone attack south of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a maritime security firm.
All 14 crew members on board were safely rescued after the incident, which has raised fresh concerns over maritime security in the region.
According to a British maritime security firm, the Indian-flagged cargo ship MSV Haji Ali sank south of the Strait of Hormuz near Oman’s coastline following a suspected drone strike. Fourteen crew members were on board, all of whom were safely rescued.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the incident, saying that after the attack on Wednesday, the ship’s crew was evacuated and taken to a safe location by Omani authorities.
The ministry described the attack on the Indian-flagged vessel as unacceptable, adding that commercial ships should not be targeted or put at risk, and that freedom of navigation and maritime trade must be respected.
According to the maritime security firm, the vessel had recently departed from Somalia and was en route to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, carrying livestock. It added that while global attention has largely focused on the security of large oil tankers, ongoing regional tensions are increasingly putting smaller vessels at risk as well.
