One Indian national was killed in an attack on the bulk carrier MV Cape Dao while the vessel was heading towards India, the Indian embassy in Oman said on Wednesday.
The embassy was in close coordination with Omani authorities regarding the safety of all crew on board, including 19 Indian nationals, it added.
Oman's Maritime Security Center said on Wednesday that it carried out an evacuation operation for the crew of the vessel following the attack off the sultanate's Musandam governorate.
A total of 27 crew members were evacuated, the center said, and one crew member was killed, without disclosing his nationality.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack on the commercial vessel MV Cape Dao off Oman’s eastern coast in a statement published Wednesday.
India condemns vessel attack, calls for restoring free navigation in regional waterways
“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel MV Cape Dao earlier today off the east coast of Oman,” the ministry said.
The statement confirmed that 20 Indian seafarers were aboard the vessel, with 19 rescued and one Indian national killed in the attack.
India said the continuing attacks on commercial shipping in the region were “deeply worrisome” and called for dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate tensions and enable an early return of peace.
The ministry also called for an end to attacks targeting “commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure,” adding that “free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region must be restored at the earliest.”