Indian sailor dies after dhow catches fire near Strait of Hormuz; 17 rescued

An Indian sailor died and many others were injured after a wooden dhow carrying Indian crew caught fire near the Strait of Hormuz.Seventeen other Indian crew members were rescued after Friday’s incident, and authorities are still figuring out the exact cause of the fire.According to sources, the crew was rescued by a passing ship sailing in the area.“A wooden dhow carrying 18 Indian crew members capsized after catching fire near the Strait of Hormuz yesterday,” PTI quoted sources as saying. “In this incident, one Indian on board the dhow died and four suffered burn injuries. The injured are undergoing treatment in Dubai and are safe,” the source added. Another source said officials from the Indian consulate in Dubai met the rescued Indian nationals on Friday evening.Sources said the consulate is also in contact with the owner of the dhow and is providing all possible assistance to the affected crew. The incident comes as tensions rise between Iran and the United States over the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman through which a large portion of the world’s oil supplies transit.Although the two sides declared a truce on April 7, the two countries have been locked in a battle over the strategically important waterway, which carries nearly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments.The U.S. Central Command said it struck Iran after three U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers were allegedly attacked by Iranian missiles, drones and small boats in the Strait of Hormuz.Earlier, Iran’s Hatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters accused the United States of violating the ceasefire agreement by attacking an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel near the strategic waterway. Al Jazeera quoted Iran’s military command as saying the United States had attacked civilian areas, including Qeshm Island.U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to downplay the conflict on Thursday, saying the ceasefire remained in place, while Iran’s state-run Press TV reported that the situation had “returned to normal.”Shipping activity in the strait has been at a near standstill since late February amid concerns about Iranian attacks on oil tankers on the route, which carries a large portion of the world’s energy supplies.