/Agencia Reuters
India declared that a cargo dhow -a wooden vessel- flying the Indian flag sank while sailing in Omani waters, following a fire caused by the alleged impact of a drone or a missile. This would be the second ship to sink in the region since the conflict in Iran began on February 28.
The war has left hundreds of ships stranded and 20,000 sailors unable to leave the waterway of the Strait of Hormuz, which flows into the Gulf of Oman.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, May 13, while the Haji Ali was sailing from Somalia to the United Arab Emirates, according to a statement from India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
The 14 crew members were rescued by the Omani coast guard and taken to the Port of Diba. The dhow was carrying a cargo of livestock.
India did not specify the nature of the attack nor who was behind it, but the British maritime risk management group Vanguard pointed out that it was an alleged explosion believed to have been caused by the impact of a drone or a missile.
For its part, maritime security sources independently assessed that it was likely a drone attack.
“Yesterday’s attack on a vessel flying the Indian flag off the coast of Oman is unacceptable and we regret that commercial shipping and civilian seafarers continue to be targeted,” stated the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India in a communiqué.
“India reiterates that attacks on commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or any other form of impeding freedom of navigation and trade, must be avoided,” it added.
Ship tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform showed its last reported position was off the coast of Muscat on May 11.
At least two other Indian-flagged vessels have been attacked since the war between the United States and Israel with Iran broke out on February 28.
Last month, India summoned the Iranian envoy in New Delhi and expressed its “deep concern” over the incidents.
The war in Iran has drastically increased risks for commercial shipping in the Gulf, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, with multiple vessels attacked or damaged since the conflict began.
India’s latest statement came as foreign ministers of the BRICS group, including Iran’s, met in New Delhi for their annual meeting under the shadow of the war, testing the bloc’s ability to reach a unified stance and issue a joint statement.
