MEA Rejects Attack Claims on Liaki Freedom as Baseless; Audio Confirms Vessel Safety Amid Escalating Gulf Maritime Tensions

The clarification from the Ministry came after reports suggested that Liaki Freedom, which carried Indian crew members, had come under a fresh attack near Oman. Officials stated that they immediately contacted the vessel’s master, who confirmed that all personnel on board were safe and secure. The Ministry categorically rejected the reports, describing them as “false” and “baseless”.

Subsequently, an audio clip released by the Forward Seamen’s Union of India surfaced on social media, reportedly originating from Liaki Freedom. In the recording, crew members can be heard confirming the vessel’s safety status. The master of the ship is heard repeatedly assuring, “All okay, all okay,” while explicitly responding to concerns about fire on board with the statement, “Negative, no fire.”

The incident comes amid heightened maritime tensions in the Gulf region following a series of attacks on merchant vessels carrying Indian crew members. Earlier in the week, three ships were targeted in the Gulf of Oman, including a deadly strike on Wednesday that resulted in the deaths of three Indian seafarers.

The deceased have been identified as Patnala Suresh, aged 44, Aditya Sharma, aged 23, and Shivanand Chaurasia, aged 38. They lost their lives when the Palau-flagged MT Settebello was struck by a United States military aircraft during the incident reported on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, at least 13 Indian-flagged vessels remain stranded, awaiting passage through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed by Iran, further intensifying disruptions to maritime traffic in the region.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that he had spoken with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and conveyed India’s strong protest over the attacks that resulted in the deaths of Indian mariners. He described the actions against commercial shipping as unjustified.

On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs also summoned the senior United States diplomat in New Delhi, Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks, for the second time within the week, to formally register India’s protest over the maritime incidents in the Gulf.

The developments underscore rising diplomatic tensions and growing concerns over the safety of commercial shipping routes in the Gulf region, particularly for vessels carrying Indian crew members.