‘Vessel is sinking, please help’: SOS call from Indian crew surfaces after MT Marivex tanker strike

Delhi: An SOS message sent from MT Marivex after it was struck by US forces near Oman has shed light on the chaos aboard the vessel, with crew members warning that the ship was taking on water and could sink. The tanker, carrying 24 Indian sailors, was later evacuated in a rescue operation coordinated by Indian and Omani authorities.
"Sir, this is motor tanker Marivex... we have fire on board and vessel is sinking," the sailor can be heard saying in the SOS transmission.

He went on to claim that the ship had been struck by a missile.

"US Navy attack, the missile on our engine room. We have hole at the bottom. We have fire onboard, please help. Please help, please help," the crew member said.

Crew member stresses all sailors were Indian nationals

During the distress call, the crew member repeatedly highlighted that every person aboard the vessel was an Indian citizen and urged rescuers to respond without delay.

"Total all crew Indian. Twenty-four crew, all crew Indian. Please help quickly, we need immediate help," he said.

The emergency message was reportedly received by Indian maritime unions shortly after the attack took place on Monday. The unions subsequently informed Indian authorities and circulated videos from the tanker that showed smoke billowing from the vessel.

Strike linked to US enforcement of Iranian port blockade

The incident occurred against the backdrop of the United States' ongoing enforcement of a blockade targeting Iranian ports. The measures followed the escalation of conflict in the Middle East and Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) later acknowledged carrying out the strike on the Palau-flagged tanker. According to the American military, the vessel had attempted to sail towards an Iranian port in breach of the blockade.

CENTCOM said an F/A-18 Super Hornet operating from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln fired a precision-guided munition at the ship's engineering and steering sections after the crew allegedly failed to follow instructions issued by US forces.

US says vessel ignored warnings

According to CENTCOM, Marivex had attempted to violate the blockade on four occasions. The military said the tanker had previously turned back three times after receiving warnings from US naval personnel.

American officials also stated that the vessel was not carrying cargo when it was struck.

Marivex, formerly known as Arihant, had earlier been sanctioned by the United States over alleged connections to Iran. US authorities have accused both the vessel and its owner of transporting Iranian fuel oil and bitumen through Gulf waters.

Ship-tracking records indicate that the tanker had previously visited Iranian ports before later sailing towards India's western coastline.

Indian and Omani authorities coordinate rescue

Following receipt of the distress call, India's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai worked closely with maritime authorities in Oman to organise assistance for the stranded crew.

A rescue helicopter from the Royal Air Force of Oman was deployed from Masirah Island and carried out an evacuation operation.

Images released after the rescue showed sailors being lifted individually from the tanker and transported to safety.

All 24 Indian crew members were successfully rescued and taken ashore to Masirah Island, Indian authorities said.

The Ministry of Defence later described the operation as an example of successful international cooperation in handling maritime emergencies.

Part of a series of incidents in the Gulf of Oman

The Marivex episode is the latest in a series of tanker-related incidents reported in the Gulf of Oman over the past week.

On Thursday, another vessel carrying Indian sailors, Jalveer, was also targeted by US forces, according to information released by the US Central Command.

The Guinea Bissau-flagged tanker was among several ships accused of attempting to pass through the American blockade while transporting cargo allegedly linked to Iran.

Officials said all 20 Indian crew members aboard Jalveer were safe and were in the process of being evacuated.

Earlier attack claimed lives of three Indians

Another tanker, Settebello, had previously come under attack in the same region.

Unlike the incidents involving Marivex and Jalveer, the strike on Settebello resulted in fatalities.

Indian authorities said three of the 24 Indian crew members aboard the vessel lost their lives in the attack.

With agency inputs