First Indian casualty in West Asia battle: Mariner on board oil tanker killed in projectile assault | India Information
NEW DELHI: India on Monday suffered its first casualty within the ongoing battle in West Asia as oil tanker MKD Vyom, which was hit with a projectile on Sunday within the Gulf of Oman, led to the demise of an Indian nationwide on board the ship.“The embassy of India expresses its deepest condolences on the tragic demise of an Indian nationwide on board MKD Vyom. The Embassy is in shut coordination with the native authorities in Oman to facilitate the protected and early repatriation of our nationals on board the vessel,” the embassy of India in Oman posted on X. “We stay dedicated to extending all attainable help on this matter,” it added.Based on Oman’s official information company, MKD VYOM, flagged to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, was attacked by an unmanned floor vessel, 52 nautical miles off the Oman coast. The tanker’s 21-member crew, comprising 16 Indians, 4 Bangladeshis and a Ukrainian, was evacuated by way of the Panamanian-flagged industrial vessel MV SAND, Oman stated.The Oman ministry, nonetheless, didn’t disclose the identify of the sufferer. “The vessel was carrying an estimated 59,463 metric tonnes of cargo. The assault triggered a hearth and explosion inside the principle engine room, ensuing within the fatality of 1 crew member of Indian nationality,” it added.A day earlier, one other oil tanker, MV Skylight, carrying 15 Indian and 5 Iranian crew members, got here underneath assault within the Strait of Hormuz. The assault on Skylight injured 4 crew members.The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied pure fuel provide. Any disruption to this chokepoint instantly rattles international vitality markets. There are estimates that already 150 tankers dropped anchor exterior the Strait of Hormuz. Round 50% of India’s month-to-month oil and virtually all of its LPG imports cross by means of this very important delivery route.The US Vitality Info Administration has stated that “only a few various choices” exist to maneuver oil out of the strait whether it is closed. Ship monitoring information from S&P World Commodities at Sea confirmed no tanker handed by means of the slim strait on March 1 as shipowners reassess their threat publicity and reroute vessels following stories of a blockade.In 2024, oil stream by means of the strait averaged 20 million barrels per day or the equal of about 20% of world petroleum liquids consumption, it stated.