Indian seafarer killed in torpedo attack on MV Cape Dao near Oman

On Wednesday, a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz was attacked, resulting in the death of an Indian sailor, according to Omani and Indian authorities. Oman condemned the ongoing attacks in the critical shipping lane. Since the onset of the Middle East war, Iran has aimed to exercise control over the maritime route for Gulf oil and gas, occasionally targeting ships that fail to coordinate with its authorities or stray from its preferred path.

In response, the US has implemented a counter-blockade on Iranian ports, launching strikes on ships that refuse to cooperate.

Oman's Maritime Security Centre disclosed that the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged Cape Dao was hit approximately 2.5 nautical miles off its coast, resulting in a fire in the engine room and the death of a crew member. Twenty-seven crew members were rescued by the Omani navy. India's foreign ministry expressed its condemnation of the attack on the Cape Dao, stating that "one Indian national tragically lost his life."

The ministry appealed to the warring parties to resume negotiations, emphasizing the need to cease the targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, and civilian infrastructure in the region. It also urged the restoration of free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through international waterways as soon as possible.

India is among the largest contributors of sailors to global merchant shipping, and several of its seafarers have lost their lives in Hormuz attacks since the Middle East war commenced. Oman lies directly across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran, and ships attempting to bypass Tehran's restrictions have been navigating a route that follows the Omani coast lately.