Al Jusufi attack off Oman kills Indian sailor; 13 crew rescued

The Al Jusufi attack off Oman's coast on Monday killed an Indian seafarer, while 13 other crew members were rescued, Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said. The Indian-flagged cargo vessel was carrying 14 Indian sailors when an unidentified aerial object struck it.

Sonowal identified the sailor who died from his injuries as Gandhar Nahim Ajij of Gujarat. The remaining crew evacuated the vessel and were brought to safety by the Omani Coast Guard, according to the minister.

India's embassy in Oman was coordinating with local authorities to support the survivors. The shipping ministry was also working to bring the crew home and return the deceased sailor's remains.

India calls for protection of commercial shipping

The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the incident in a statement on Tuesday. It urged an immediate reduction in regional tensions and a negotiated diplomatic outcome to restore peace.

The ministry also called for attacks on civilian infrastructure and commercial vessels to stop. It sought the restoration of unrestricted navigation and trade through international waterways in accordance with international law.

The Al Jusufi attack brings the reported number of Indian deaths linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict to at least 23. Before this incident, the ministry had put deaths in attacks on shipping vessels and tankers at 22.

The reports describe the conflict as having begun on February 28 between the United States, Israel and Iran. India has repeatedly expressed concern about the danger to seafarers.

Other recent incidents involved ships carrying Indian crew. A Panama-flagged tanker with 27 Indian seafarers was targeted with limpet mines in the Strait of Hormuz on October 30, causing an engine-room fire that was extinguished.

Earlier in October, two further vessels with Indian sailors were struck in the region. The object responsible for the latest strike near Oman had not been identified in the minister's account.

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