Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said all 22 Indian seafarers onboard Panama-flagged crude oil tanker MT GEM NO. 2 were safe after the vessel was subjected to a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage on October 9.
In a post shared on X, Sonowal said the situation was being continuously monitored and that authorities were in contact with the ship management company to ensure the security and well-being of the Indian crew.
“On Oct 9, Panama-flagged crude oil tanker MT GEM NO. 2, carrying a crew of 22 Indian nationals, was subjected to a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage. I am relieved to share that all 22 of our Indian seafarers onboard are reported to be completely safe,” Sonowal said.
“We are continuously monitoring the situation and in contact with the ship management company to ensure security and wellbeing of our seafarers,” he added.
Sharjah Anchorage is located in the Arabian Gulf in the Dubai area of the United Arab Emirates, according to MarineTraffic.
The incident comes amid concerns over a series of attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf region and the Black Sea, prompting India and other countries to call for stronger international cooperation to safeguard maritime trade and crew members.
On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted the objectives of the newly formed Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers (GoF on S4), an initiative aimed at bringing maritime stakeholders together to strengthen international cooperation and place the safety of seafarers and commercial shipping at the centre of global discussions.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the group seeks to coordinate countries involved in commercial shipping and the maritime industry, as well as those with significant seafaring communities.
“The idea is to get them together so that we can bring the issue of safety of seafarers and the issue of safety of commercial shipping at the centre of global discourse and discussion, and we can enhance international cooperation so as to ensure that commercial shipping is not impacted, they are not attacked, and the seafarers are safe and secure,” Jaiswal said.
He said the group’s first meeting was held in New York, co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Liberian Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, with 25 countries participating.
India and Liberia, as co-chairs of the group, on Thursday strongly condemned attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf region and its vicinity, as well as the Black Sea.
“These actions that disrupt maritime trade and cost innocent lives are simply indefensible. We call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interest of peace and stability in the region,” the joint statement said.
The two countries also expressed condolences to the families of seafarers who lost their lives and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
India and Liberia launched the group last month on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly to improve coordination, prevent further attacks and safeguard the rights and security of seafarers.
Jaishankar had said that India, as a major source of seafarers, had joined hands with Liberia, which hosts the world’s largest shipping registry by tonnage, to address growing concerns over attacks on commercial shipping and merchant mariners.
“Put simply, these attacks must stop,” he said.
