The audio clip, which surfaced days after the attack, features a crew member from MT Marivex issuing an urgent distress call following the missile strike. In the SOS message, the sailor can be heard saying, “Sir, this is motor tanker Marivex. The ship is on fire and is sinking.”
The visibly distressed crew member further stated, “American naval attack. A missile hit our engine room. There is a hole below. The ship is on fire. Please help. Please help.” He repeatedly emphasized that all 24 sailors aboard the vessel were Indian nationals. “The entire crew is Indian. Twenty-four crew members, all Indian. Please send help quickly. We need immediate assistance,” he said.
According to reports, Indian maritime unions received the distress call shortly after the attack on Monday. Indian authorities were subsequently alerted, and video footage showing smoke rising from the vessel was shared with officials.
The strike comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and forms part of the United States military blockade of Iranian ports following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year. The United States Central Command confirmed that American forces disabled the Palau-flagged tanker after it allegedly attempted to sail toward an Iranian port.
According to Central Command, an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet launched from USS Abraham Lincoln fired precision munitions at the vessel’s engineering and steering sections. The United States military claimed that the tanker had attempted to breach the blockade on four occasions and had turned back three times following warnings from the United States Navy. Officials also stated that the vessel was not carrying any cargo at the time of the strike. MT Marivex, previously known as Arihant, had already been sanctioned by the United States over alleged links to Iran.
Oman Launches Rescue Operation, All 24 Indian Sailors Saved
Following the SOS call, India’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai coordinated with Omani maritime rescue authorities to launch an immediate operation. The Royal Air Force of Oman dispatched a helicopter from Masirah Island and successfully evacuated all 24 Indian sailors from the damaged vessel.
Indian officials confirmed that all crew members were safely transported to Masirah Island. The Ministry of Defence described the operation as an outstanding example of international cooperation during a maritime emergency.
The attack on MT Marivex is part of a troubling pattern involving vessels carrying Indian crews in the Gulf of Oman over the past week.
On Thursday, United States forces struck another tanker, Jalveer, carrying 20 Indian crew members. The Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel was intercepted on suspicion of transporting cargo linked to Iran. All 20 Indian sailors aboard were rescued safely.
Earlier, another tanker, Settebello, was attacked in the same region. Unlike the incidents involving Marivex and Jalveer, the strike on Settebello proved fatal. According to Indian authorities, three of the 24 Indian sailors aboard the vessel lost their lives.
The series of attacks has intensified concerns over the safety of Indian seafarers operating in one of the world’s most volatile maritime corridors, as regional tensions continue to escalate and military operations expand across strategic shipping routes.
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