NEW DELHI, September 14, 2026 – India has strongly condemned a recent attack on a Panama-flagged oil tanker, MT El Gaia, off the coast of Oman, which has left one Indian seafarer missing. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Sunday that out of the 14 Indian crew members on board the commercial vessel, 13 have been successfully rescued. In an official statement, the MEA emphasized that search and rescue operations for the missing national are actively continuing, with the Indian embassy in Oman closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with local Omani authorities. The Indian government also expressed its gratitude to Oman for its prompt support in rescuing the stranded seafarers.
Expressing deep concern over the incident, the MEA reiterated its call for an immediate de-escalation of tensions in the region, urging the pursuance of dialogue and diplomacy to restore peace. The ministry explicitly stated that the targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure is completely unacceptable. Furthermore, New Delhi urged that free and safe navigation, as well as the uninterrupted flow of commerce through international waterways in the region, be restored at the earliest. The safety of commercial vessels remains a critical issue for India, given that Indian nationals constitute a significant portion of the global merchant shipping workforce, making up more than 12% of the total.
The attack on MT El Gaia occurred just a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the issue of maritime security at the BRICS summit. During his address on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi proposed the creation of a “Seafarers’ Emergency Support Network” designed to safeguard maritime workers facing heightened security risks due to ongoing regional conflicts. The escalating crisis in West Asia has already taken a heavy toll on Indian maritime personnel; according to official figures, ten Indian seafarers are among the 16 Indians killed so far in the regional conflict, while another five have lost their lives in strikes on merchant vessels in the Black Sea.
Published by True Roots Media Network