Muscat/New Delhi: Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz flared again after the Kuwait-flagged oil tanker MT Kazimah III came under a projectile attack while en route to the port of Lome in Togo, the Indian Embassy in Oman said. Five Indian seafarers were among the crew aboard the vessel and have been safely rescued, the embassy confirmed, though the identity of the attackers remains unknown.
In a post on social media, the Indian Embassy in Muscat said it had coordinated the rescue of the five Indian nationals aboard the tanker after it was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, with all five safely brought ashore with the assistance of Omani authorities. India’s Ministry of External Affairs also confirmed the rescue operation and reaffirmed its commitment to the safety and welfare of Indian seafarers working abroad.
Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency reported missile strikes on two other oil tankers travelling east of Oman around the same time. The agency said fires broke out aboard the vessels following the attacks, but the crew’s alertness helped avert a larger disaster.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for any of the strikes, and the incidents have renewed concerns over the safety of commercial shipping passing through the strategically vital waterway.