There has been a major attack on an oil tanker MKD VYOM near the Muscat coast of Oman. The ship was targeted by an explosive drone boat about 52 nautical miles from Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat. An Indian crew member has died in this tragic accident. There were a total of 22 people on board the ship, out of which the remaining 21 members have been evacuated safely. The Indian Embassy in Muscat is now taking legal action to send back the crew members.
Latest information about the crew and ship victims of the accident
The ship’s management has confirmed that the fire in the engine room has been extinguished and the ship is now in a safe condition. The good thing is that there is no news of oil spilling or pollution in the sea. Details of crew members can be seen in the table given below:
Crew Nationality Total Number Current Status Indian 16 1 killed, 15 safe Bangladeshi 4 all safe Ukrainian 1 safe
Impact on security and maritime traffic in the area
After this attack, tension has increased on Oman and surrounding sea routes. Maritime security agencies have described the threat level in this area as very high. The Indian Embassy in Muscat has expressed condolences to the family of the Indian citizen who lost his life and assured to provide all necessary help. Due to security reasons, many ships passing through this route have stopped their journey at present.
UKMTO has asked ships to proceed with extreme caution in this area. There have also been reports of GPS signal failure in the area. Preparations are now underway to take the ship to a safe port for repairs. All rescued crew members are safe off the coast of Oman.