An Indian crew member was killed when a bomb-laden drone boat struck an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Monday. This marked the first Indian casualty since the Iran-US conflict, according to authorities.
The attack targeted the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MKD VYOM in waters off Muscat, the capital of Oman. The state-run Oman News Agency confirmed the incident on Monday, while reports from the Associated Press identified the deceased crew member as an Indian national. It was not immediately clear who launched the attack amid escalating hostilities across the Middle East.
Explosion and fire on board
Earlier reports from Reuters had indicated that a projectile hit the tanker while it was sailing off Oman’s coast. Vessel manager V.Ships confirmed the incident in a statement.
"The vessel suffered an explosion and subsequent fire after being struck by a suspected projectile while off the coast of Muscat, Oman on 1 March," V.Ships Asia said in a statement on Sunday. "It is with great sadness that we confirm one crew member, who was in the engine room at the time of the incident, has died," it added.
The nationality of the victim was later confirmed as Indian.
Iran responds to regional attacks
The strike comes amid heightened tensions following US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory actions across the region. Iran has previously warned vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route.
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Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi addressed questions regarding attacks reported across Gulf countries. Speaking to Al Jazeera, he referred to the incident at Oman’s Duqm port, stating that the attack was not the regime's choice and that armed forces were now "acting independently" under broader directives.
