TheMTMarivex, sanctioned by Washington in December, wasattemptingto sail to an Iranian port, the US Central Command said
The Indian crew on board a merchant vessel that caught fire after it was struck by the US Navy for allegedly attempting to run the blockade of Iran has been safely evacuated, New Delhi has said.
The tanker MT Marivex was carrying a crew of 24 Indians when it was reportedly targeted near Oman's Masirah Island on Monday south of the Strait of Hormuz.SOS callsbegan at 1:30 local time, according to reports.
The incident came amid a flare-up of tensions around the strait after Israel and Iran traded missile strikes early on Monday.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X that the Palau-flagged vessel was transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran when it was targeted. The ship was "attempting tosail to an Iranian port," it said.
The United States has been enforcing a naval and economic blockade of all Iranian ports since mid-April. Washington says it is in retaliation for Iranian restrictions on the movement of merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's energy passed before the conflict began.
An F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS Abraham Lincoln fired a precision munition at the Marivex after the crew failed to comply with directions from US forces, CENTCOM said.
An official from India's shipping ministry confirmed that all the crew were safe but declined to comment on the cause of damage to the ship, the Hindu reported.
The ship was not carrying cargo when it was struck.
The US had previously sanctioned the Marivex for alleged links to Iran, Reuters reported. The sanctions were imposed in December, according to shipping database Equasis. Ship-tracking website Marine Traffic lists the 135-foot vessel as an oil and chemical tanker.
The Indian Coast Guard said the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai coordinated with its counterpart in Oman, to ensure the safe rescue of the crew by Omani Navy helicopters.
An External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said in New Delhi on Tuesday that the crew have been rescued and are safe. He also thanked the Omani government for its assistance.
"We understand there was some exchange of communication between the ship and the US navy before the incident," he said, adding the Indian mission continues to be in touch with the rescued seafarers.
He said the Indian authorities were coordinating across government agencies to see to the welfare of the evacuees. The Forward Seamen's Union of India has urged swift action to ensure the safety of the crew.
The Indian-flagged cargo vessel MSV Haji Ali sank off the coast of Oman following a suspected drone or missile strike last month.
In March, the US Navy sank an Iranian Navy vessel off the Sri Lankan coast, killing at least 87 sailors on board.
(RT.com)
