NEW DELHI: An India-bound Thai cargo vessel with 23 crew members was among four ships that came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. The projectile attack left the ship heading for Gujarat’s Kandla port ablaze. While 20 crew members have been rescued by the Omani Navy, the fate of three sailors is unknown.
Reacting to the attack on Gujarat-bound Mayuree Naree, the Indian govt deplored commercial shipping being made a target of military attacks in the Gulf conflict. “Precious lives, including of Indian citizens, have already been lost in multiple such attacks in the earlier phase of this conflict, and the intensity and lethality of the attacks only seems to be increasing,” the govt said in a statement.
India also reiterated that targeting commercial shipping and endangering the lives of innocent civilian crew members, or generally impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, must be avoided.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed striking two ships — Thai bulk carrier Mayuree Naree and a Liberian-flagged ship in the Hormuz. “Israeli-owned Express Rome ship, flying the Liberian flag, and container ship Mayuree Naree were hit by Iranian projectiles and stopped after ignoring the warnings of IRGC naval forces,” Iran’s ISNA news agency cited the Guards’ statement.
The third vessel, Japan-flagged container ship One Majesty, sustained minor damage after it was hit by another projectile 25 nautical miles northwest of UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah. The hull of Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Star Gwyneth was damaged after being hit by a projectile 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai, maritime risk management company Vanguard said.
IRGC has warned that any ship passing through the narrow strait will be targeted. With the conflict now in its 12th day, IRGC has also vowed to target “economic centres and banks” that it deems linked to US and Israeli interests, prompting more international firms to evacuate employees from Dubai.
As many as 28 Indian vessels with 778 seafarers on board are stuck in the Persian Gulf, an official said on Wednesday. Of these, 24 vessels are on the western part of the strait with 677 seafarers, while four vessels with 101 persons are on the eastern side, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary in the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways, said.
“We are monitoring all the vessels actively for their safety and security. Authorities, ship managers and recruitment agencies...are closely coordinating with Indian embassies and local authorities to ensure safety and render medical assistance to them,” the official said. Dedicated 24-hour control rooms are operating in the ministry and DG Shipping.
