New Delhi:An Indian-flaggedcargo vessel, Haji Ali, reportedly sank off the coast of Oman. According to reports, the mechanised sailing vessel (MSV) or the Indian dhow, came under attack in the early hours of Wednesday in Omani waters during its voyage from Somalia to Sharjah. The drone attack led to a fire onboard the wooden vessel and its subsequent sinking, said Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
After the fire erupted, the crew members were rescued by Omani authorities. "All 14 crew members onboard (Haji Ali) were safely rescued by the Omani Coast Guard and have reached Dibba Port in Oman. The crew is reported to be safe, and necessary formalities with the local authorities have been completed," he said at a news briefing. "The Government of India remains in close coordination with the authorities in the Sultanate of Oman, Indian Mission officials, and relevant maritime agencies," he said.
Notably, an Indian dhow is a traditional, usually wooden, sailing vessel with one or more masts and characteristic lateen (triangular) sails, essential to maritime trade in the Indian Ocean for centuries. Mangal said the vessel that sank was 57 meters long and 14 meters wide. The vessel was registered at Salaya Port in Devbhoomi Dwarka district, reported India Today.
However, it is still not known who hit the vessel. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called this attack "unacceptable." "The attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman yesterday is unacceptable, and we deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted," it said, as quoted by the media house.
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It is the second such incident in a week. Earlier, Al Faiz Noor Suleimani-1 from Salaya also reportedly sank near the Strait of Hormuz.
Two India-Bound LPG Tankers Cross The Hormuz:
Earlier in the day, two India-bound liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions in the region. LPG tanker Symi transited through the Strait on May 13, while NV Sunshine safely crossed the waterway on Thursday. This takes the total number of Indian vessels to have crossed the shipping channel, which had been effectively shut since the US-Israel strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliation more than two months back, to 13.
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