Panama-flagged tanker MT Louise 1, carrying 27 Indian seafarers, was struck by limpet mines in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. Two mines detonated, igniting a fire in the engine room that the crew managed to extinguish before the vessel could be disabled.
The incident, the first successful use of limpet mines in the waterway since February, occurred 46 km northeast of Oman’s Khasab, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported. No environmental damage was recorded, and the ship resumed its journey.
A day earlier, the Liberia‑flagged VLCC MT Arzanah, carrying two Indian nationals, was hit by a projectile in the same strait. The attacks, which have intensified after U.S.–Iran hostilities erupted, follow a pattern of strikes on merchant vessels that Iran says violate transit rules.
All 29 Indian seafarers aboard both vessels were declared safe, with no injuries, Sarbananda Sonowal posted on X. The crews’ rapid response prevented a catastrophic spill and earned commendation from maritime authorities.
India has pledged to coordinate with maritime security agencies to strengthen vessel protection, and a review of shipping protocols in the Strait of Hormuz is slated for early November.