According to Opesh Kumar Sharma from India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the fire broke out at approximately 1330 hours local time while the unladen tanker was operating off the coast of Oman. The crew aboard the Palau-flagged vessel issued distress messages reporting that the ship was on fire and sinking, triggering an immediate multi-agency response.
Preliminary reports indicate that all 24 Indian crew members were successfully rescued and evacuated. Indian authorities stated that coordination between multiple government agencies was underway to ensure the continued safety and security of the seafarers. Officials did not disclose the cause of the fire at the initial stage of the investigation.
Media reports suggest that Omani authorities deployed helicopter units to evacuate the crew, who were subsequently transported to Masirah Island. The All India Seafarers Union, which represents Indian merchant sailors, confirmed that it received direct distress communication from a crew member shortly after the fire erupted and maintained contact throughout the rescue operation.
The Forward Seamen’s Union of India described the situation as a matter of serious concern and called for immediate measures to ensure crew safety, support affected families, and strengthen maritime security protocols for seafarers operating in high-risk zones.
Both unions later confirmed that all crew members had been safely rescued.
The incident occurred amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region, where maritime routes have faced increasing risks due to ongoing hostilities involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, along with expanded military enforcement operations.
The United States Central Command later issued a statement asserting that American forces had disabled an unladen oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on June 8 after it allegedly violated an ongoing blockade against Iran by attempting to sail toward an Iranian port. The statement confirmed that an F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) carried out a precision strike targeting the vessel’s engineering and steering compartments after the crew reportedly failed to comply with instructions from US forces.
Officials added that the MT Marivex is no longer sailing toward Iran. Media reports further indicated that the tanker was empty at the time of the incident and was positioned south of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint through which nearly one-fifth of global energy shipments typically pass.
The incident has intensified concerns over the safety of commercial shipping in the Gulf of Oman, highlighting the growing vulnerability of international maritime trade routes amid escalating regional military and political tensions.
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