Tehran. The ongoing war in West Asia may seem to have stopped on land, but cargo ships are still being targeted in the sea. On Wednesday, a Liberian-flagged oil tanker was targeted near Mina Saqr in the United Arab Emirates. There were 19 Indian sailors on board this ship at the time of the attack. According to the information revealed, the UAE Coast Guard has evacuated these sailors safely.
Giving information about this entire incident, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that on Wednesday, a crude oil tanker carrying the flag of Liberia was attacked near Mina Saqr of United Arab Emirates (UAE). There were a total of 23 sailors on board, out of which 19 were Indians, all these civilians have been evacuated safely. In a post on Twitter, the Union Minister said, “The entire 22-member crew was swiftly and safely evacuated by the UAE Coast Guard. All 19 of our Indian nationals are completely safe and have no injuries.”
The minister further said that the government is working closely with the ship management company to ensure the safety of the crew and provide them with necessary assistance. “We are in constant touch with the ship management company to ensure their safety, well-being and necessary assistance,” Sonowal said. However, information has not yet been revealed as to what type of attack was carried out on this oil tanker, or from which side.
Saudi Arabia flagged ship attacked in Hormuz
Earlier, in a similar incident, Saudi Arabian flagged oil tanker NCC Fajr was also attacked. This ship was attacked heavily while passing through Hormuz. Sonowal said all crew members escaped safely without any injuries and the government was monitoring the situation. “On November 11, 3 Indian sailors aboard the Saudi Arabia-flagged oil tanker 'NCC Fajr' came under a possible attack while the ship was transiting Hormuz,” Sonowal said. Confirming the safety of the Indian nationals, he further said, “All crew members as well as the three Indian nationals are safe. We are continuously monitoring the situation and are in regular contact with the ship management company to ensure that our seafarers remain safe and their well-being is maintained.”
Let us tell you that this is not the first time that Indian citizens have been targeted at sea. Indian sailors have also been targeted many times in the war between America and Iran. In this case, many young sailors have also lost their lives at sea. Apart from West Asia, Indian sailors have also become targets in the war between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea. The Indian government has been continuously opposing it.