India on Sunday (September 13, 2026) condemned an attack on a Panama-flagged oil tanker off the coast of Oman that resulted in one Indian seafarer being reported missing.
“Search and rescue operations for the missing Indian national are continuing. The Indian side thanked Omani authorities for their support in rescuing the Indian seafarers. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said 13 other Indian crew members of the vessel, MT El Gaia, were rescued. Of the 14 Indian crew onboard, 13 Indians have been rescued so far,” it said. Ten Indian seafarers are among the 16 Indians killed so far in the West Asia conflict, while another five Indian seafarers have died in strikes on merchant vessels in the Black Sea.
Our embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operation,” the MEA said in a statement. “We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and pursuance of dialogue and diplomacy to bring peace to the region,” the MEA said. Speaking at the BRICS summit on Saturday (September 13, 2026), Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the creation of a “Seafarers’ Emergency Support Network” to safeguard them from security risks due to regional conflicts. “We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through the international waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” the MEA said.
“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman earlier today.
