All 24 Indian seafarers aboard the oil tanker MT Marivex were rescued after the vessel caught fire off the coast of Oman following a US‑led strike that disabled the ship.
The tanker, carrying no cargo at the time, was hit by a precision munition fired by an F/A‑18 Super Hornet from the USS Abraham Lincoln. After the ship failed to comply with orders from US forces, the aircraft struck the vessel’s engineering and steering spaces – a move that forced the vessel to burn and sink.
The incident follows a broader surge of tension in the Gulf, where an Iranian–US–Israel standoff has intensified military activity around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. Maritime traffic now faces heightened risk as off‑shore NATO, US and regional naval powers enforce blockades against Iranian shipping.
Omani authorities lifted a helicopter onto the burning ship and evacuated every crew member. The sailors were transported safely to Masirah Island, where Indian officials confirmed all 24 were unharmed. In a statement, Minister of Ports & Shipping Opesh Kumar Sharma said preliminary reports indicate the crew are safe and that government agencies are coordinating to uphold their security.
Both the All India Seafarers Union and the Forward Seamen’s Union of India urged swift support for the crew and their families, marking the incident as a matter of serious concern. They highlighted the need for protection of seafarers amid ongoing regional conflicts.
According to US Central Command, the strike was an enforcement action against the ongoing blockade on Iranian‑bound vessels. A US F/A‑18 Super Hornet fired a precision munition that disabled the non‑compliant tanker, which was thereafter declared “no longer sailing to Iran”.
The MT Marivex had been previously sanctioned by US authorities for alleged Iranian ties. The vessel’s empty cargo and its location south of the Strait of Hormuz – a choke point that transmits about one‑fifth of the world’s energy supplies – made the incident particularly high‑profile.
