A Palau-flagged tanker carrying 24 Indian crew members caught fire off the coast of Oman on Monday after what the crew described as an attack by the US Navy. All those onboard were later rescued safely by the Oman Air Force.
Officials said the fire broke out aboard MT Marivex at around 1.30 pm. The tanker was reportedly not carrying any cargo at the time of the incident.
Opesh Kumar Sharma, director in India’s shipping ministry, said during a media briefing that the vessel was operating far from the Strait of Hormuz and was positioned well south of the sensitive maritime corridor.
He confirmed that every crew member onboard was safe.
Several hours after the fire was reported, helicopters from the Oman Air Force evacuated all 24 Indian sailors from the vessel. India’s embassy in Muscat later thanked Omani authorities through a social media statement for carrying out the rescue operation successfully.
An audio SOS message allegedly sent from the tanker also surfaced online. In the recording, a crew member can reportedly be heard claiming that the vessel’s engine room caught fire after a “US Navy attack by missile”.
Sources familiar with the matter said the tanker had previously been blacklisted and sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the enforcement agency of the US Treasury Department responsible for monitoring sanctions linked to Iranian and Russian oil trade.
According to the sources, the vessel was not owned by an Indian company.
They further alleged that MT Marivex had attempted multiple times in recent days to bypass the US blockade around Iranian ports.
“On three occasions, the vessel turned away after repeated warnings by the US Navy,” one of the people said.
Sources claimed the tanker made a fourth attempt on Monday by navigating through Oman’s territorial waters while reportedly switching off its signal systems to avoid detection.
“This pattern made it clear the vessel’s intentions were not above board,” one source added.
Indian authorities said the shipping ministry coordinated closely with the external affairs ministry, India’s embassy in Oman, the defence ministry and the Indian Navy to ensure the crew’s safety during the operation.
Data from MarineTraffic.com showed the tanker was travelling from Karwar in Karnataka to Duqm in Oman.
Forward Seamen’s Union of India described the incident as a matter of serious concern.
In a statement, the organisation urged authorities to ensure the crew’s safety, support their families and safeguard seafarers operating in conflict affected waters.
The incident comes amid rising tensions in West Asia following renewed hostilities involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
Oman lies close to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that Iran has restricted since conflict erupted earlier this year.
Since the beginning of the regional conflict, at least 10 Indians have reportedly lost their lives in West Asia, including three sailors killed in earlier attacks on merchant ships.
