An Indian crew member was killed after an oil tanker was hit by an unmanned drone boat off the coast of Oman, sparking a fire and forcing the evacuation of everyone on board. The incident occurred as regional tensions between Israel and Iran continued to intensify.
Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said the strike took place around 52 nautical miles northwest of Port Sultan Qaboos in the Muscat Governorate on March 1. The tanker, identified as MKD VYOM and sailing under the flag of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, was reportedly carrying about 59,463 metric tonnes of cargo when it was attacked.
Officials said the unmanned vessel rammed into the tanker, causing an explosion and fire in the main engine room. One Indian national lost his life in the incident.
The ship had 21 crew members — 16 Indians, four Bangladeshis and one Ukrainian. The surviving crew were rescued by the merchant vessel MV SAND, which sails under the Panamanian flag, in coordination with Omani authorities.
The Royal Navy of Oman has dispatched a ship to monitor the damaged tanker and issued navigation advisories for vessels passing through the area. Authorities have not identified those responsible for the attack.
Iran has issued warnings to vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow entry point to the Persian Gulf. The country is suspected of carrying out several maritime attacks as the broader Middle East conflict escalates following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory, including the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
This was the second reported attack on commercial shipping in the area since Khamenei’s assassination. Earlier, the Palau-flagged tanker Skylight, which had 15 Indian nationals among its crew, was struck near Oman’s Musandam peninsula, injuring four people.
Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said that incident occurred roughly five nautical miles north of Khasab Port in Musandam. The tanker’s 20 crew members were evacuated, though officials did not specify the type of weapon used in that strike.
