At least 12 seafarers were injured on 6 October after the Panama-flagged tanker On Peace was struck by an unknown projectile while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Dubai-owned Aframax tanker was hit off the coast of Oman as it transited the strategic waterway. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the vessel was carrying 19 crew members, including 17 Indian nationals. Of the 12 seafarers injured in the incident, 11 were Indian nationals.
The injured crew members have since been evacuated with assistance from the Omani authorities and are receiving medical treatment in Khasab, Oman.
“With the assistance of Omani authorities, the injured crew have since been evacuated and are receiving medical treatment in Khasab, Oman. We thank the Omani authorities for their valuable support,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
The On Peace is among 81 vessels listed on a blacklist maintained by the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA). The authority says the vessels on the list have violated Iran’s protocols governing the Strait of Hormuz and warns that they “shall face restrictions on future passages, including fines, detention, or confiscation”.
According to Pole Star Global’s PurpleTrac database, the vessel is owned and operated by ONEX DMCC and managed by Anglo-Eastern Tanker Management.
The Indian government has strongly condemned the continuing attacks on commercial shipping in the region, stressing the threat they pose to maritime safety, regional stability and freedom of navigation.
“The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region remain a cause of deep concern for India. We reiterate our call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interests of peace and stability in the region,” the ministry said.
It added that commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must no longer be targeted and called for maritime traffic and commercial activity through international waterways to resume as quickly as possible.
The incident involving the On Peace is part of a series of attacks reported in the Strait of Hormuz since 3 October. At least five commercial ships have been attacked during that period.
The LNG carrier Maran Gas Mystras was struck on 5 October, while the LPG carrier Vela Gas was hit on 4 October. The VLCCs Cameroon Prosperity and Ghana Prosperity were also struck by unknown projectiles on 3 and 4 October, respectively.
In a further development, the UKMTO issued another warning concerning an attack on 5 October, reporting that a tanker sailing outbound through the Strait of Hormuz had been hit by an unknown projectile.
With repeated attacks now affecting commercial vessels and crews operating along one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes, concerns over the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continue to grow.
