Muscat, September 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Oman on Tuesday said the Panama-flagged oil tanker ELGAIA was being towed to an Omani port after an earlier targeting incident triggered a fire in its engine room, with 23 crew members rescued and two still missing.
Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said the tanker was located about 103 nautical miles northeast of Musandam Governorate when it was targeted. A Royal Navy of Oman vessel evacuated 23 crew members, who were provided necessary medical care. Search and rescue operations for the two missing crew members are continuing.
The Maritime Security Centre said it was coordinating with relevant authorities and monitoring the towing operation.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said 14 Indian nationals were among the crew members aboard the tanker. Of them, 13 have been rescued, while one Indian seafarer remains missing.
“Search and rescue operations continue with the help of the Omani authorities,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a media briefing in New Delhi.
Jaiswal said the Indian Embassy in Oman was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with Omani authorities involved in the search operation.
India also reiterated its position that targeting commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable. The MEA called for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy, and urged the restoration of free and safe navigation and the flow of commerce through international waterways in the region.
The International Maritime Organization has listed ELGAIA among confirmed maritime incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, recording damage to the vessel and two missing seafarers.
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