New Delhi: Amidst the ongoing tension in the Gulf region, a serious maritime incident involving the Indian flag ship ‘Virat-1’ has come to light off the coast of Oman. The Indian Embassy in Muscat informed on Sunday that it has received information about the incident regarding this ship. There were a total of 14 Indian crew members on board the ship. Although the embassy did not disclose the detailed nature of the incident in its initial statement, it clarified that relief and rescue operations are being coordinated with relevant Omani authorities and nearby ships.
Indian Mission said in a message released on social media platform After this, contact was immediately established with the local administration and maritime agencies, so that the safety of the crew members could be ensured.
According to sources, this incident came to light on the morning of June 14 when this traditional dhow (boat), present in the sea about 80 nautical miles east of Ras Al Hadd area of Oman, came into trouble and started sinking slowly. Keeping in mind the safety of all the 14 Indian citizens present on the ship, a large-scale search and rescue operation was immediately started.
US Navy launched relief operation
It is being told that after receiving the signal of crisis, the US Navy also played an important role in the relief operation. Considering the seriousness of the situation, the US Navy’s P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft was sent to the area. The aircraft dropped a life raft near the stricken ship, allowing the crew members to remain safely at sea. Along with this, the rescue operation was continuously monitored.
To speed up the relief work, help from nearby merchant ships was also taken. In particular, a cargo ship named ‘MV Jabal Ali 9’ was included in the operation, which helped in reaching the sailors stranded at sea and evacuating them safely. When ‘Virat-1’ started sinking completely, all the crew members boarded the life raft in time.
At present, all 14 Indian sailors have been rescued safely and their condition is being monitored. Officials said that the reasons for the sinking of the ship are being investigated. It is not yet clear whether this accident happened due to technical fault, weather or any other reason. This incident has once again increased concerns regarding maritime security in the Gulf region.
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