India reported on Thursday a new incident with a tanker off the coast of Oman amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions in the area, following the death of three Indian seafarers in a U.S. hit on another vessel earlier this week.
“We have learnt of an incident involving a vessel off Shinas port of Oman, earlier today,” the Indian Embassy in Oman said on social media in the morning local time on Thursday.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the local authorities for further details,” said the embassy.
The Muscat Daily news outlet reported that “Authorities are responding to a fire reported on the tanker MT Jalveer near Shinas, Oman.”
The daily noted in an X post that the Indian Embassy “is coordinating with local officials to confirm the crew’s safety status.”
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a Royal Navy-sponsored organization, said today it had received a report of an incident 21 nautical miles northeast of Sohar, Oman. Local authorities have reported a tanker has experienced a fire in the engine room. As authorities continue to investigate, no environmental impact has been reported, UKMTO said.
The fresh incident with a tanker offshore Oman comes a day after a U.S. precision ammunition strike at a non-compliant vessel trying to breach the U.S. blockade left three Indian sailors missing.
The seafarers on Thursday were confirmed dead by Sarbananda Sonowal, India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, who described the hit on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello as a “tragic incident.”
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had disabled late on Tuesday the Settebello tanker as it transited the Gulf of Oman. A U.S. aircraft fired precision munitions into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces, CENTCOM said.
The attack on the tanker drew condemnation from Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
“I strongly condemn any act from any party that endangers the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping. This is simply unacceptable,” Dominguez said on Wednesday.
By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com
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