India has condemned the attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz region after a commercial vessel, carrying 11 Indian crew members, was hit by a drone attack off the coast of Oman. According to Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, two Indian sailors went missing after Nicaragua-flagged tanker, MT Petro Dolphin, came under attack at the anchorage area for the port of Sohar in northern Oman.
"On October 11, tanker MT Petro Dolphin, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage. While nine of our Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and are safe, two Indian nationals currently remain missing," Sonowal said on social media platform X.
The minister said search-and-rescue operations were underway by the local coast guard.
"We are continuously coordinating with all relevant authorities to fully support the ongoing rescue efforts and ensure every possible action is taken to safely locate our missing personnel," he said.
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⚠️ IMPORTANT UPDATE ⚠️ On Oct 11, tanker MT PETRO DOLPHIN, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage. While nine of our Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and are safe, two Indian nationals currently remain missing. Search-and-rescue operations are actively underway by the local Coast Guard. We are continuously coordinating with all relevant authorities to fully support the ongoing rescue efforts and ensure every possible action is taken to safely locate our missing personnel.
— Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) October 11, 2026
The Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI) shared a video of the attack, showing the vessel on fire after the drone hit the deck.
@Indemb_Muscat #TwoMore #IndianSeafarers Awaiting urgent status update on 2 missing Indian seafarers from MT Petro Dolphin. The Nicaragua-flagged tanker was hit by a drone attack on 11 Oct at Sohar Anchorage, Oman. 12 crew onboard 2 remain missing BirBahadur Yadav & Amit Singh . How many warnings from your side @CENTCOM ???? FSUI calls for immediate confirmation of their status, full support for families & protection of seafarers in the region. #SeafarersSafety #MTPetroDolphin @MEAIndia @shipmin_india @dgshipping_IN @DrSJaishankar @dgshipping_IN @FSUIINDIA @FsuiManoj
— FSUI (@FSUIINDIA) October 12, 2026
The Embassy of India in Muscat also said it was closely monitoring the situation concerning the Nicaragua-flagged tanker.
"The Embassy is closely monitoring the situation concerning MT Petro Dolphin, a Nicaragua-flagged tanker. Two of the 11 Indian seafarers onboard are reported missing. The Embassy is in close and continuous contact with the concerned authorities," the Embassy said on X.
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India's Reaction
The latest attack came after the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker M/T Valthera, carrying 11 Indian crew, was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. A fire was sparked, but all Indian crew were reported to be safe.
The Foreign Ministry condemned the repeated attacks and said the safety and security of Indian seafarers remain a priority for India. The recurring attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply concerning and risk further aggravating an already volatile situation, the Ministry said in a statement.
"India reiterates the need for immediate de-escalation and a resolution to the ongoing conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. Attacks on commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must cease. Freedom of navigation and the safe, unimpeded flow of maritime commerce through international waterways, in accordance with international law, must be upheld," it said.
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India is one of the largest contributors of sailors to merchant shipping worldwide, with more than 320,000 active seafarers in 2025, according to the shipping ministry.
Several of its mariners have been killed in attacks in the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28.
Last week, the foreign ministry condemned the attack on a Panama-flagged vessel that was struck by a projectile off the coast of Oman while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
"The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region remain a cause of deep concern," the ministry said.
"We reiterate our call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interests of peace and stability in the region."
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