India condemns Hormuz vessel attack, seeks immediate end to attacks on commercial shipping

New Delhi, Oct 6 : India on Tuesday strongly condemned the projectile attack on Panama-flagged commercial vessel MT On Peace (IMO 9893204) while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman, in which 12 crew members were injured, including 11 of the 17 Indian nationals on board.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the vessel was struck by a projectile earlier in the day while sailing through the strategically important waterway.

“Of the total crew of 19, 17 are Indian nationals. It is learnt that 12 crew members have been injured, including 11 Indian nationals,” the MEA said in a statement.

The injured crew members were evacuated with assistance from the Omani authorities and taken to Khasab, Oman, where they are receiving medical treatment.

The MEA thanked the Omani authorities for their assistance and reiterated India's call for an immediate cessation of attacks in the interest of peace and stability in the region.

“The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and navigation and commerce through international waterways must be restored at the earliest,” the ministry said.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important maritime routes through which a significant share of global energy supplies passes.

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a commercial tanker travelling inbound through the Strait of Hormuz was hailed and threatened by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), forcing the vessel to turn around.

According to the UKMTO advisory, the incident occurred at around 0827 UTC on Monday, approximately 11 nautical miles north of Khasab. The vessel's master reported that the crew complied with the instruction after being warned that the ship would be targeted if it failed to alter course.

Authorities are investigating the incident, while the UKMTO has advised vessels operating in the area to exercise extreme caution and report any suspicious activity.

India has stressed that freedom of navigation and uninterrupted commercial activity through international waterways must be protected and restored at the earliest.