An Indian national was missing and 10 others were rescued after a gruesome attack on a merchant ship GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman on Sunday morning amid the continuing war-like situation in West Asia. The Ministry of External Affairs said there were 11 Indian nationals on board and an operation was underway in cooperation with Omani authorities to rescue the missing persons.
The attack caused a fire in the engine room and caused extensive damage to the ship, the US Central Command quoted the AFP news agency as saying. According to the United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations, the crew abandoned the vessel and took shelter in a lifeboat as the situation worsened. The US blamed Iran for the attack.
India has expressed deep concern over the continued attacks on merchant ships in the region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and a diplomatic solution through ongoing negotiations to restore peace and stability in the region. The Government of India demands that attacks on merchant ships and civilian infrastructure in international waters in the region be stopped in accordance with international law and that uninterrupted navigation be restored as soon as possible.
Before the latest attack, Iran announced on Sunday that it would close the Strait of Hormuz and launch missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbors in retaliation for the US attack. The US military launched a new attack on Iran hours after US President Donald Trump announced the end of the ceasefire on Thursday. Iran has responded to attacks in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Earlier, the US hit Iran in response to an alleged attack on three liquefied natural gas and crude oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.
The United States and Iran reached an interim agreement on June 15 to end hostilities and reopen the system for commercial shipping. The two countries also held talks in Switzerland with the aim of reaching a final peace deal within two months. However, despite efforts to reach a peace deal, there have been several incidents of firing and threats between the two countries in the past week.
Amid the current state of extreme unrest in West Asia, the latest attack off the coast of Oman poses a huge security threat to the entire region. The deceased has been identified as 20-year-old Arun Kumar, a resident of the area. The deceased has been identified as 20-year-old Arun Kumar, a resident of the area.