All 24 Indian crew rescued after tanker fire off Oman following reported US strike
A tanker caught fire off the coast of Oman on Monday after being struck by US forces, according to statements from Indian and US officials. All 24 Indian seafarers aboard the vessel were rescued and evacuated safely, authorities said. The incident involved the Palau-flagged tanker MT Marivex and took place in waters that have seen heightened maritime risk in recent months.
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Indian officials said the fire broke out at about 1330 local time while the vessel was unladen. Opesh Kumar Sharma of India's ministry of ports, shipping and waterways said preliminary reports indicated that all the seafarers were safe and that government agencies were coordinating to ensure their security. The crew had sent distress messages saying the tanker was on fire and sinking, and Indian seafarers' unions said they remained in contact with the crew and authorities during the rescue effort.
The rescue was carried out with the help of Omani authorities, according to Indian media reports cited in the supplied material, with the crew evacuated by helicopter and taken to Masirah Island. The All India Seafarers Union and the Forward Seamen's Union of India both confirmed that the crew had been rescued and reported safe. The unions described the situation as a serious concern and called for support for the crew and their families.
The incident matters because it adds to the strain on commercial shipping in the Gulf of Oman and nearby waters, where tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel have disrupted routes and increased military activity. The Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz are critical passages for international trade, so any attack or enforcement action there can quickly affect shipping confidence and regional security. The vessel's reported previous sanctioning by US authorities for alleged Iran links also places the case within a wider pattern of maritime enforcement and disputes over access to Iranian ports.
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US Central Command later said American forces had disabled an unladen oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on 8 June after it violated what it described as an ongoing blockade against Iran by attempting to sail to an Iranian port. It said an F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln fired a precision munition into the ship's engineering and steering spaces after the crew failed to comply with directions from US forces. The statement said Marivex was no longer sailing to Iran.
What remains unclear from the available information is the full extent of the damage to the tanker and whether the fire was caused directly by the strike or by the vessel's subsequent condition. It is also not clear what immediate steps will be taken regarding the ship itself, its cargo status, or any further investigation by Omani, Indian or US authorities. The main issue to watch is whether the incident leads to further disruption in Gulf shipping or prompts additional warnings for crews operating in the area.
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