Iranian ‘suicide ship’ hits US oil tanker ‘Safesea Vishnu’ in Iraqi waters, Indian citizen killed

An Indian national was reportedly killed on Wednesday when an Iranian suicide ship attacked a US oil tanker near Iraq. The remaining 27 crew members were rescued and flown to Basra.The incident occurred when the US-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Safesea Vishnu was attacked at the port of Khor Al Zubair in Iraqi territorial waters.

Sources close to Safesea told news agency PTI that the company was “saddened” by the loss and urged the Indian government to strongly condemn the attack and take urgent steps to ensure the safety of its crew in the region amid rising tensions in West Asia.The report also noted that Indians make up more than 15% of the world’s seafarers, meaning Indian nationals could become “collateral damage” in any such attack, regardless of the target ship.Meanwhile, two Indian nationals, one in Israel and the other in Dubai, were injured in the attack and are recovering, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaswal said on Wednesday. “The welfare of our diaspora is our top priority,” he said.The ministry also said that Indian missions in West Asia are coordinating with relevant governments to assist Indian nationals stranded in the region due to airspace closures.“Inter-ministerial coordination is very strong. Whenever any assistance is required, the Indian Mission immediately reaches out,” the MEA said.