- Nighttime attack on Safesea Vishnu by Iranian underwater drone killed one Indian crew member
- Fifteen crew members escaped safely and were rescued near Iraq’s Basra in the Persian Gulf
- Indian Embassy in Baghdad confirmed casualty and is aiding rescued crew and contacting authorities
Nighttime. Wartime. A ship. Then, a fireball. The night lit up, and the surface of the sea reflected bright yellow flames. It would have passed off as a scene from a found-footage Hollywood film.
The ship, Safesea Vishnu, had been hit by an underwater drone launched by Iranian forces. People who took videos of the attack from a rescue ship could be heard shouting.
They pointed at the oil-coated sea surface that burned like farm fires. These visuals would likely remain in history as some of the most terrifying images of the Iran-US war.
The attack killed an Indian crew member, while 15 others managed to get away safely in the rescue boat. The US-owned crude oil tanker came under attack near Iraq's Basra, in what Iran claimed was a coordinated underwater drone strike on two vessels in the Persian Gulf.
Safesea Vishnu, flagged in the Marshall Islands and owned by US-based Safesea Transport, was hit alongside the Maltese-flagged Zefyros, whose owner is based in Greece.
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB said the operation involved underwater drones that struck both vessels.
The Indian Embassy in Baghdad confirmed the casualty and said the remaining Indian crew members had been moved to a safe location.
"Embassy of India Baghdad is in regular contact with Iraqi authorities and rescued Indian sailors and is offering all possible assistance," the mission said in a post on X. It also conveyed condolences to the family of the dead crew member.
Iran had previously warned it would target ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint through which roughly 20 per cent of global oil supply moves. The US-Israeli military campaign against Iran and the Islamic nation's counterattacks have not slowed down.
The administration led by US President Donald Trump has said American forces had taken steps to counter potential threats in the strait.
Global oil prices have risen on fears of supply disruption, with no sign of the conflict abating.
