Indian crew member killed as drone boat strikes oil tanker in Gulf of Oman
Dubai: A bomb-laden drone boat struck a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Monday, triggering a fire and killing one crew member, Omani authorities said.
The state-run Oman News Agency said the vessel, identified as MKD VYOM, was hit off the coast of Muscat. The dead mariner was an Indian national, it added.
"The oil tanker MKD VYOM, flying the flag of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, was attacked by an unmanned boat 52 nautical miles off the coast of Muscat Governorate. The tanker was carrying approximately 59,463 metric tons of cargo," the Omani maritime security centre said in a statement.
"The attack resulted in a fire and explosion in the main engine room, killing one crew member, an Indian national," it added.
The vessel had 21 crew members on board, including 16 Indians, four Bangladeshis and one Ukrainian. All survivors were evacuated by the merchant ship MV SAND, which sails under the flag of Panama, in coordination with the Maritime Security Centre.
The strike comes as tensions surge across the region following a major US–Israeli air campaign against Iran. Tehran has repeatedly warned commercial vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic gateway to the Persian Gulf.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society said at least 555 people have been killed across Iran since the airstrikes began, with more than 130 cities coming under attack. Israeli authorities say 11 people have been killed in Israel.
In Kuwait City, fire and smoke were seen rising from inside the U.S. Embassy compound. Kuwait’s defence ministry said “several” American warplanes had crashed in the country, without specifying the cause or number of aircraft. It said the pilots were taken to hospital and were in stable condition. The U.S. military did not immediately comment.
The embassy incident occurred shortly after U.S. authorities warned Americans to take cover and advised others to stay away. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
As airstrikes continued, senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani wrote on X: “We will not negotiate with the United States.”
The conflict has also spilt into neighbouring theatres. In Iraq, a pro-Iranian militia claimed a drone attack on U.S. troops at Baghdad airport a day after saying it had fired on a U.S. base in Irbil. Cyprus reported a separate drone strike targeting a British military facility on the island.
Israel and the United States say they have struck Iranian missile infrastructure and naval assets, claiming to have destroyed its headquarters and several warships.