One seafarer has died after an Indian-flagged cargo vessel was struck by an unidentified aerial object off the coast of Oman on Monday, 2 November.
The MSV Al Jusufi was carrying 14 Indian crew. One of them, Gandhar Nahim Ajij from Gujarat, died of his injuries. The other 13 abandoned the vessel and were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard.
Government response
India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, confirmed the incident on X. He said the ministry and India’s embassy in Oman were working with local authorities to support the survivors and to bring home the crew and the body of the deceased seafarer.
A dangerous region for crews
According to the report, the death brings the number of Indian nationals killed in the ongoing West Asia conflict to at least 23. Who launched the object has not been officially confirmed.
The incident is a reminder of the risks faced by seafarers, including many from South Asia, on ships trading through the Gulf of Oman and nearby waters.
Based on reporting by The Business Standard.
Photo: Representative image of the Gulf of Oman (file photo). U.S. Navy / Wikimedia Commons, public domain
