Panama-flagged oil tanker hit in drone attack off Sharjah; all 22 Indian crew safe

Sharjah: All 22 Indian seafarers aboard a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker were reported safe after the vessel came under a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage in the United Arab Emirates on October 9, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Saturday.

The MT GEM NO. 2, carrying 22 Indian nationals, was targeted in the incident, prompting authorities to closely monitor the situation and coordinate with the ship management company to ensure the crew's safety.

In a post on X, Sonowal said all the Indian seafarers aboard the vessel were safe.

“I am relieved to share that all 22 of our Indian seafarers onboard are reported to be completely safe,” he said, adding that the situation was being continuously monitored.

Sharjah Anchorage is located in the Arabian Gulf, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

The incident comes amid growing concerns over attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf region and the Black Sea. India and other countries have called for stronger international cooperation to protect maritime trade and the lives of crew members.

On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) outlined the objectives of the newly formed Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers (GoF on S4), an initiative to strengthen international cooperation and bring the safety of commercial shipping and seafarers to the forefront of global discussions.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the group aims to bring together countries involved in commercial shipping and the maritime industry, as well as those with significant seafaring communities.

“The idea is to get them together so that we can bring the issue of safety of seafarers and the issue of safety of commercial shipping at the centre of global discourse and discussion,” Jaiswal said.

He added that the initiative seeks to enhance international cooperation to prevent attacks on commercial vessels and ensure the safety and security of seafarers.

The group's first meeting was held in New York, co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Liberian Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti. Representatives from 25 countries participated in the meeting.

India and Liberia, which jointly chair the group, on Thursday strongly condemned attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf region and its vicinity, as well as in the Black Sea.

“These actions that disrupt maritime trade and cost innocent lives are simply indefensible. We call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interest of peace and stability in the region,” the countries said in a joint statement.

They also expressed condolences to the families of seafarers who had lost their lives and wished those injured a speedy recovery.

India and Liberia launched the group last month on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly to improve coordination, prevent further attacks and safeguard the rights and security of seafarers.

Jaishankar had said India, a major source of seafarers, had joined hands with Liberia, which has the world's largest shipping registry by tonnage, to address growing concerns over attacks on commercial shipping and merchant mariners.

“Put simply, these attacks must stop,” he said.