Kathmandu, October 12
Two Indian sailors have gone missing after two oil tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on October 11, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
The Nicaraguan-flagged MT Petro Dolphin was directly hit by a drone, leaving two of the 11 Indian sailors aboard missing. The Marshall Islands-flagged MT Valthera also came under attack and caught fire. All 11 Indian sailors aboard the latter vessel were reported safe.
The Indian Embassy in Muscat, Oman, is coordinating with Omani authorities and the ship management company to locate and rescue the missing sailors.
In a post on X, the embassy said it was closely monitoring the situation involving the MT Petro Dolphin and providing necessary assistance to the other Indian sailors aboard the affected vessel.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attacks on commercial vessels in international waters, expressing serious concern over the safety of maritime operations.
The ministry said the safety of Indian sailors working abroad remained the government’s highest priority and warned that such attacks could further escalate regional tensions.
It urged all parties to resolve disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels and called for an immediate end to attacks on ships, sailors and civilian infrastructure. The ministry also stressed the need to uphold freedom of maritime trade and navigation in accordance with international law.
