Muscat/New Delhi: Twenty-four Indian seafarers were safely rescued after a fire broke out aboard the oil tanker MT Marivex off the coast of Oman, triggering concerns over maritime security near the strategically sensitive Strait of Hormuz.

While all crew members are reported safe, Indian authorities are still investigating what caused the blaze, including whether the vessel may have been struck by a projectile, officials said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. local time on Monday when a fire was reported onboard the tanker south of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical shipping routes. The vessel was not carrying cargo at the time and was operating in ballast condition.

Confirming the rescue operation, the Indian Embassy in Muscat said all 24 Indian crew members had been brought to safety following swift action by Omani authorities.

"We are thankful to the Omani authorities for their prompt response and for ensuring the safety of all 24 Indian crew members onboard MT Marivex," the embassy said in a statement posted on social media platform X.

The development comes amid heightened regional tensions and increased scrutiny of shipping activity in waters surrounding the Gulf, making the circumstances behind the fire a key focus of ongoing investigations.

During a government briefing in New Delhi, officials from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said preliminary reports indicate that all Indian sailors are safe and accounted for.

Opesh Kumar Sharma, Director in the Shipping Division, said authorities are working to verify reports surrounding the incident and have not yet determined whether any external factor contributed to the fire.

"We are in touch with the owners, and we are trying to ascertain the facts. We are also in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and our mission in Oman," Sharma said.

Officials stressed that the vessel was operating well south of the Strait of Hormuz when the incident occurred and had already cleared the narrow maritime chokepoint.

Earlier, the Indian Embassy in Muscat said it was closely monitoring the situation and was engaged with Omani authorities regarding the rescue and welfare of the Indian nationals onboard.

With IANS inputs