Safety At Stake: Owner Calls For Probe Into Attack On Indian Ship Off Oman

Rohan Joshi, co-owner of MSV Haji Ali, spoke to NDTV stating that the ship was attacked on a normal commercial route and calling for a formal, transparent investigation. He emphasized the need for India to coordinate with Oman and UAE authorities to preserve radar reports, maritime logs, rescue reports, satellite data and other evidence, and highlighted the impact on Indian seafarers and vessel owners.

The Ministry of External Affairs described the attack as unacceptable and deplored that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted. It noted that all Indian crew on board were safe and thanked Omani authorities for rescuing them.

The MSV Haji Ali, an Indian-flagged civilian vessel carrying livestock from Somalia to the UAE, was hit by a targeted aerial strike in the early hours of Wednesday. The strike caused a fire and led to the vessel being declared a total loss. All 14 Indian crew members survived and were rescued by the Oman coast guard. Co-owner Rohan Joshi called for a transparent and diplomatic investigation and urged preservation of radar reports, maritime logs, rescue reports, satellite data and other evidence to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

An Indian sailor on the MSV Al Faiz Noor-e Suleimani was killed after the vessel was caught in crossfire near the Strait of Hormuz. This incident is cited as preceding the Haji Ali attack, highlighting risks to Indian-flagged vessels in the region.