An Indian national was injured when a Liberia-flagged commercial tanker carrying six Indian crew members was attacked in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday, India’s shipping minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, has said.
The very large crude carrier MT Fujairah Energy was struck by a projectile while on its way to Dubai, injuring four crew members.
The Indian seafarer sustained minor injuries and has been safely evacuated to shore for medical evaluation, Sonowal posted on X.
“The remaining 18 crew members, including the other five Indian seafarers, are safe and accounted for,” he added.
Sonowal said India is maintaining contact with the vessel’s operators to ensure the security, medical care, and wellbeing of the seafarers.
Commercial ships have come under repeated attacks in the strategic waterway since the initial US attack on Iran in February. Tehran has restricted maritime traffic through the waterway and Washington has retaliated with a blockade of Iranian ports.
Fifteen Indian seafarers have been killed in attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf region, the Indian Foreign Ministry said last week. New Delhi has condemned the attacks and called for de-escalation through dialogue and diplomacy, as well as the restoration of freedom of navigation and uninterrupted maritime trade.
Last week, an Iranian lawmaker said Tehran has exempted Indian ships from the restrictions it imposed on passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Amir Hayat-Moghaddam said the exemption was intended to facilitate imports of medicine from India.