Indian-crewed tanker hit off Oman coast

New Delhi: An oil tanker carrying 15 Indian nationals among its crew was struck off the coast of Oman on Sunday, injuring four people, as fresh hostilities between Israel and Iran continued to ripple across the region, according to a Reuters report.

The Palau-flagged tanker Skylight was hit near Oman’s Musandam peninsula, marking what authorities described as the first-time targets in or near Oman have been struck during the latest escalation. The vessel is under US sanctions, the Reuters report mentioned.

Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said in a post on X that the attack occurred about “5 nautical miles north of Musandam’s Khasab Port”, after which the vessel’s 20-member crew was evacuated. It did not specify what weapon struck the tanker.

Initial information showed “injuries of varying severity” to four crew members. The crew comprised 15 Indians and five Iranian citizens, the Oman Maritime Security Centre mentioned. The ‘Skylight’ vessel was reportedly struck while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a fire onboard, Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said.