Twelve seafarers were injured after an Indian-crewed tanker was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz off Oman on Tuesday, October 6, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reported.
The Panama-registered LR2 tanker On Peace was carrying 19 crew, 17 of whom were Indian nationals. The MEA said the injured have been evacuated to Khasab in Oman for medical treatment with assistance from Omani authorities.
All but one of the 12 injured crewmembers were Indian nationals, the MEA added.
Oman’s Defence Ministry said the tanker was roughly nine nautical miles to the northeast of Lima in Musandam Governorate when the attack occurred, igniting an onboard fire.
“The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and navigation and commerce through international waterways must be restored at the earliest,” the MEA said.
The attack on On Peace followed strikes on four other commercial vessels in the strait since Saturday, October 3. The LPG carrier Vela Gas was hit on Sunday, October 4, while the LNG carrier Maran Gas Mystras was struck the following day.
The very large crude carriers Cameroon Prosperity and Ghana Prosperity were struck on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Shipping intelligence service Marisks reported at least seven incidents in the week preceding October 5.
India’s Directorate General of Shipping barred the deployment of Indian seafarers on voyages through the Strait of Hormuz on July 16. The order covered recruitment companies, ship managers and shipowners “until further orders”.
