At 07:30 local time on Oct. 11, the Nicaraguan‑flagged tanker MT Petro Dolphin, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was struck by a drone off Sohar Anchorage, Oman. Yet nine crew members were promptly rescued, leaving two sailors unaccounted for.
Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal posted the incident on X, stating, “While nine of our Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and are safe, two Indian nationals currently remain missing.” He added that the Oman Coast Guard was conducting search‑and‑rescue operations and that India was coordinating with all relevant authorities.
The attack follows a string of recent strikes on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, including the projectile hit on the Marshall Islands‑flagged tanker M/T Valthera that caused a fire but no casualties among its 11 Indian crew. A week earlier, a Panama‑flagged vessel was struck by a projectile off Oman’s coast.
India’s Foreign Ministry has repeatedly condemned these assaults, urging all parties to exercise restraint and uphold freedom of navigation in international waters. “Attacks on shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must cease,” the ministry said, adding that it was monitoring the situation closely.
Vineet Kumar, 38, the eldest son of a rescued sailor, said his family is waiting anxiously for news of the missing crew. “We’re praying for their safe return,” he told a local news outlet.
The Oman Coast Guard’s search is expected to extend into the next 48 hours, with India pledging full support and diplomatic pressure to secure a resolution. The ongoing crisis underscores the urgent need for de‑escalation in the region’s volatile maritime corridor.