All 24 Indian seafarers aboard two tankers involved in separate attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and Romania are safe, with no casualties or injuries reported, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said on Friday.
The first incident involved the crude oil tanker MT ST 3, which was carrying 15 Indian seafarers when it was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on October 16, according to Sonowal. The waterway is a strategically important route for global oil shipments and a major passage for commercial vessels.
In a separate incident on October 14, the chemical tanker Yara J, carrying nine Indian seafarers, was hit by a drone at Sulina Anchorage in Romania, the minister said in a post on X.
Sonowal said all 24 Indian nationals aboard the two vessels were safe. “Thankfully, all 24 Indian nationals across both vessels are completely safe with no casualties or injuries,” he said.
The incidents involved different types of commercial vessels and occurred in separate maritime locations. The MT ST 3 was carrying crude oil, while the Yara J was a chemical tanker positioned at Sulina Anchorage in Romania when it was hit by a drone.
The report of the Strait of Hormuz incident has raised concerns over the safety of Indian crew members operating in a waterway that is critical to global energy supply chains. Any disruption or attack involving commercial shipping in the area can affect vessel movements, crew safety and the movement of oil cargoes, although the minister’s statement did not provide details on damage to the vessel, the nature of the projectile or the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Similarly, no further details were provided on the damage caused to Yara J, the source of the drone or the operational status of the vessel after the incident at Sulina Anchorage. The minister’s statement focused on the safety of the Indian seafarers aboard both tankers.
India has a large seafaring workforce employed on commercial vessels operating across international shipping routes. The two incidents underline the exposure of Indian crew members to security risks in maritime zones affected by conflict, attacks or other threats to vessel operations. The available statement, however, does not indicate any injuries among the Indian nationals or any requirement for medical evacuation.
The Ports, Shipping and Waterways Ministry has not, in the supplied statement, announced additional measures concerning the two vessels or provided a timeline for further updates. The immediate confirmation remains that all 24 Indian seafarers are safe and that no casualties or injuries were reported in either incident.
