Oman’s Ministry of Defence said an explosive-laden unmanned boat struck the oil tanker MKD VYOM about 52 nautical miles off the coast of Muscat Governorate, causing a fire and an explosion in the engine room. The Maritime Security Centre reported the incident.
The ministry said one crew member died and the remaining 21 crew were evacuated. It did not officially name the nationality of the deceased, but local media reported the victim was Indian. Oman Observer reported the evacuated crew included 16 Indian nationals, four Bangladeshi nationals and one Ukrainian national.
A day earlier, another tanker, MV Skylight, was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, injuring four crew members. The state-run Oman News Agency said the Skylight crew included personnel from India and Iran.
The Embassy of India in Oman said it remains in constant contact with local authorities conducting search operations for missing crew from MV Skylight and is coordinating repatriation and other assistance for rescued seafarers, according to a post on X.
The Strait of Hormuz, between Oman and Iran, links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is a key global oil chokepoint.
