One Indian seafarer is missing after an attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said . Of the 14 Indian crew members on board, 13 have been rescued, while search and rescue operations continue for the missing seafarer.
“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman earlier today. Of the 14 Indian crew onboard, 13 Indians have been rescued so far. Search and Rescue operations for the missing Indian national are continuing,” the MEA stated.
The Indian Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with Omani authorities involved in the ongoing search and rescue efforts. The ministry also thanked the Omani authorities for their assistance in bringing the rescued Indian nationals safely ashore.
The embassy said the 13 rescued crew members had been shifted ashore safely, while efforts to locate the remaining crew member were continuing.
“The Mission is closely monitoring the Search and Rescue (SAR) operations for the 14 Indian nationals on board the Panama-flagged tanker El Gaia. SAR operations for 13 Indian nationals have been completed, and they have been shifted ashore safely. The Omani authorities are continuing SAR efforts for the one missing crew member. We thank the Omani authorities for their continued support and assistance,” the Embassy stated on X.
Calling for an end to the escalating tensions in the region, the MEA said attacks on commercial shipping and civilians could not be accepted.
“We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and pursuance of dialogue and diplomacy to bring peace to the region. The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable. We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through the international waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” the ministry said.
Earlier attack on Indian vessel
The latest incident comes weeks after the MEA condemned an attack on the Indian-flagged commercial vessel MSV Faize Noore Oliya, which sank in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen on August 4, 2026.
At the time, the ministry said all 13 Indian nationals on board had been rescued. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh was monitoring the situation and coordinating with Yemeni authorities over the safety and security of the crew.
“We condemn the attack on the Indian flagged commercial vessel, MSV Faize Noore Oliya, that sank in the Red Sea, off the coast of Yemen on August 4, 2026. All 13 Indian nationals have been rescued. Our Embassy in Riyadh is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Yemeni authorities for the safety and security of the crew. We thank the Yemeni authorities for their support,” the MEA had said.
