NEW DELHI: India condemned the killing of one of its nationals aboard the Indian‑flagged cargo vessel MSV Al‑Jusufi, which was struck by an unidentified aerial object while navigating near the coast of Oman in Omani waters overnight. The ship, crewed by 14 Indian seafarers, was en route to the Strait of Hormuz.
Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on X that the vessel was hit “by an unidentified aerial object while navigating near the coast” of Oman. “While 13 crew members were safely evacuated and rescued by the Omani Coast Guard, I am deeply saddened to report that one of our seafarers, Gandhar Nahim Ajij from Gujarat, tragically succumbed to his injuries.”
The Ministry of External Affairs called for an “immediate de‑escalation” and the swift conclusion of ongoing peace talks between the United States and Iran to restore regional stability. “We condemn the attack on a commercial vessel, MSV Al‑Jusufi,” the ministry stated. “The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest.”
The deceased sailor is the 15th Indian seaman killed in the area since the start of US‑Iranian strikes in the strait in March, according to data from the Ministry of External Affairs. Last week, ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that 14 seafarers were among Indians killed in the conflict.
The vessel, a traditional dhow, differed from previous targets—many of which were tankers—according to Manoj Yadav, secretary‑general of the Forward Seamen’s Union of India. “I have spoken with a few seafarers who work on the same dhow. It’s not a commercial vessel, it’s not a merchant vessel, it’s a dhow,” Yadav said. “The person who was killed on board had lost his father 20 years back. He was also working on a dhow, and in that dhow he died.”
In July, India’s maritime regulator issued an advisory urging ship owners, managers, and recruitment agencies to cease sending Indian nationals to work on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, following attacks on at least ten civilian ships staffed by Indian seafarers. The advisory, however, was not binding. According to the FSUI, more than 4,000 Indian sailors remain aboard vessels in the region.
