Muscat, Sep 15 (IANS) Oman said on Tuesday that the Panama-flagged oil tanker ELGAIA was being towed to one of the country’s ports after a fire broke out in its engine room following an earlier attack.
Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said in a statement that the tanker was about 103 nautical miles northeast of Musandam Governorate when it was targeted, Xinhua News Agency reported.
A Royal Navy of Oman vessel evacuated 23 crew members, who received necessary medical care, the centre said.
Search operations are continuing for two others still missing, it added.
The centre was monitoring the towing operation in coordination with relevant authorities, according to the statement.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday said that the search and rescue operations are continuing to find the missing Indian seafarer.
“Regarding the missing seafarer, this attack happened off the coast of Oman. It was a Panama flagship on which we had 14 Indian nationals or seafarers, of whom 13 have been rescued, and we deeply thank the Omani authorities for rescuing our nationals. One Indian national is missing; the seafarer was on board. Search and rescue operations continue with the help of the Omani authorities,” said Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson of the MEA, during a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi.
He said that the Indian embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing operation.
“Having said that, let me say that targeting of commercial shipping, targeting of seafarers, civilians and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable to us. We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through international and national waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” the MEA spokesperson noted.
On Sunday, the External Affairs ministry had condemned the attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman.
“We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and pursuance of dialogue and diplomacy to bring peace to the region. The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable. We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through the international waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” the MEA mentioned.
–IANS
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