India Slams Attack on Indian Cargo Ship Near Oman, Calls It ‘Unacceptable’

New Delhi — India on Thursday strongly condemned the attack on an Indian-flagged cargo vessel near the coast of Oman, calling the incident “unacceptable” and voicing concern over the growing threats faced by commercial ships and civilian sailors in the region.

According to reports, the Gujarat-owned cargo ship MSV Haji Ali sank after being hit by what early assessments described as a drone or missile-like strike on May 13 while passing through Omani waters. The vessel was en route from Berbera Port in Somalia to Sharjah when the attack occurred.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said India strongly deplores attacks targeting commercial shipping and civilian mariners.

“The attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman yesterday is unacceptable,” the ministry said, adding that such incidents threaten freedom of navigation and international trade.

The MEA confirmed that all Indian crew members onboard were safe and expressed gratitude to Omani authorities for carrying out a swift rescue operation.

Officials said teams from the Oman Coast Guard successfully evacuated all 14 crew members after the vessel caught fire following the strike.

According to local reports, the ship became stranded off the Omani coast around 3:30 a.m. local time. The vessel is owned by Sultan Ahmed Ansar, a resident of Dwarka in Gujarat.

The incident has once again raised concerns over the safety of key maritime trade routes in West Asia amid escalating regional tensions.

The current crisis in the region intensified after joint US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran later retaliated with attacks targeting Israel and US military bases in Gulf countries, further heightening instability and sparking fears over disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most crucial shipping lanes.

With inputs from IANS