A Kuwait-flagged oil product tanker carrying 21 Indian seafarers was struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, October 21, according to Indian officials. All 21 Indian crew members and the other crew aboard the vessel were reported safe.
The vessel, identified as M/T Al Dasma, was reportedly hit about 11 nautical miles west of Bukha, Oman. Reports said the incident caused a fire that was later extinguished, while the tanker remained stationary following the strike. The extent of the damage and the source of the projectile had not been independently confirmed in the reports reviewed.
India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said authorities were monitoring the situation and maintaining contact with the ship management company to safeguard the crew. The incident comes amid heightened security concerns for commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for international energy shipments.
The incident follows other reported attacks on commercial vessels in and around the waterway, raising renewed concerns over maritime safety and the uninterrupted movement of shipping through the Gulf. No responsibility for the latest incident was established in the reports cited.