A fire broke out on a Palau-flagged tanker carrying 24 Indian crew members after it was attacked by the US Navy off the coast of Oman on Monday. All crew members were rescued to safety by the Oman Air Force.
The crew of MT Marivex reported the fire at 1:30 pm, and the vessel was well out of the Strait of Hormuz. The Indian embassy in Muscat thanked Omani authorities for rescuing all 24 Indian crew members in a social media post.
The tanker had been blacklisted and sanctioned by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for violating US sanctions on the sale of Iranian and Russian oil.
Marivex had made four attempts to evade the US blockade of Iranian ports, turning away on three occasions after repeated warnings by the US Navy.
The shipping ministry coordinated with the external affairs ministry, the Indian mission in Oman, the defence ministry, and the Indian Navy to ensure the safety of the crew members.
