Oil tanker with 27 Indians attacked in Strait of Hormuz, crew rescued

Two vessels carrying Indian crew members have been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz over the past two days as Iran has increased attacks on shipping, DW reported. One of the attacked vessels was the Panama-flagged Louise 1, located about 25 nautical miles northeast of Oman, with 27 Indians aboard. India's Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed all Indian seafarers on that vessel were safe and uninjured.

Oman’s Maritime Security Centre evacuated 25 crew members from a burning crude oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera. The tanker was identified as a Panamanian-flagged crude oil vessel named RITI. This rescue operation occurred amid ongoing attacks on ships in the strategic waterway.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that four oil tankers attempting to use unauthorized routes through the Strait of Hormuz were halted. Two tankers were stopped after incidents or hitting mines, and two others exploded and caught fire after hitting mines while trying to pass through unauthorized routes, the IRGC said.

Iran’s Navy also reported destroying an unmanned enemy craft east of the strait. Iran has repeatedly warned vessels against transiting the Strait of Hormuz without its permission and claimed responsibility for attacks on ships. Tehran asserts control over much of the waterway since the conflict with the US and Israel began in February.

The US military denies involvement in the attacks. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains tense with the highest level of attacks on ships since the Iran war began, DW noted.