Two Indian seafarers reported missing after attack on tanker off Sohar

The Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI) is seeking an urgent status update on two Indian seafarers reported missing after a drone attack on the tanker Petro Dolphin off the coast of Oman outside the Strait of Hormuz yesterday (11 October).

In a post on X, FSUI identified the vessel as Nicaragua-flagged, which was struck by a drone near Oman's Sohar Anchorage on October 11. Two of the 11 India seafarers onboard (out of a total crew of 14), are missing, confirmed the Embassy of India in Muscat.

Separately, two vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz were attacked by unknown projectiles over the weekend without any reported casualties.

Meanwhile, on 10 October US forces struck the Panama-flagged bulker Ocean Molica (pictured, photo: CENTCOM), disabling its propulsion, after the vessel had left an Iranian port and was allegedly attempting to breach the naval blockade. A US military fighter jet struck the stern of the vessel (also known as the Arika Sun) with a precision munition, fully disabling the ship’s propulsion without harming the crew, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

US forces resumed America’s blockade against all ships entering or departing Iranian ports on July 14. Since then, four commercial vessels have been disabled and 135 ships have been turned around during three months of strict enforcement, CENTCOM reports. Additionally, US forces say they have destroyed 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' multibillion-dollar shadow network over the same period.