India condemned an attack that sank an Indian-flagged vessel transiting through Omani waters as "unacceptable" on Thursday and said targeting of commercial ships should be avoided amid the US-Israeli war with Iran.
The attack on the dhow – a vessel built of wood – while it was sailing to the United Arab Emirates from Somalia in the early hours of Wednesday, caused a fire on board and eventually led to its sinking, New Delhi said. All 14 crew were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard and moved to Diba port, it said.
India did not specify the nature of the attack or who was behind it, but British maritime risk management group Vanguard said it involved an explosion believed to have been caused by a drone or missile strike. The vessel was carrying a cargo of livestock, it said.
"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," the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.
"India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided," it said.
The vessel last reported its position off the coast of Muscat on May 11, ship tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform showed. Its operators could not be reached for comment.
At least two other Indian-flagged ships have been attacked since the US-Israeli war with Iran erupted on February 28. India last month summoned the Iranian envoy to New Delhi and flagged its "deep concern" over the incidents.
The Iran war has sharply increased risks for commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy transit route, with multiple vessels attacked or damaged since the conflict began.
The latest Indian statement came as foreign ministers of the BRICS grouping, including from Iran, gathered in New Delhi for their annual meeting under the shadow of the war, testing the bloc's ability to reach a unified position and produce a joint statement.
(Reporting by Saurabh Sharma and Aftab Ahmad in New Delhi, Jonathan Saul in London, writing by Tanvi Mehta and Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh)