All 20 Indian crew members on the tanker MT Jalveer were safely evacuated to shore on Thursday after U.S. forces disabled the vessel during a blockade enforcement operation in the Gulf of Oman. This incident marked the...
All 20 Indian crew members on the tanker MT Jalveer were safely evacuated to shore on Thursday after U.S. forces disabled the vessel during a blockade enforcement operation in the Gulf of Oman. This incident marked the third tanker-related event involving Indian seafarers in just one week.
The rescue took place less than 48 hours after three Indian sailors lost their lives on the tanker Settebello, which was the first confirmed incident of fatalities linked to the U.S. blockade of Iran.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that they disabled the Guinea-Bissau-flagged MT Jalveer around 11:20 p.m. ET on June 10, as the ship was supposedly trying to transport Iranian oil through the Gulf of Oman.
CENTCOM indicated that a U.S. aircraft launched two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of the vessel after the crew repeatedly ignored instructions from American forces.
Indian authorities confirmed that all crew members were safely evacuated following the incident.
The Indian Embassy in Muscat stated, “We have learnt of an incident involving a vessel off Shinas port of Oman.” They mentioned that evacuation efforts were coordinated with support from the Royal Navy of Oman.
In a later update, the embassy shared that the rescue operation had been successfully completed, stating, “The rescue operation with the support of the Omani authorities has been successfully completed and all 20 Indian crew members have been evacuated ashore.”
No injuries or lost lives were reported among the crew.
The Jalveer incident followed two other enforcement actions by the U.S. involving vessels operated by Indian nationals. Earlier, three Indian seafarers died when U.S. forces disabled the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman. India’s Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, confirmed the tragic news, describing it as “a profound loss to our maritime family.”
Earlier in the week, 24 crew members of the tanker Marivex, also Indian nationals, were rescued after U.S. forces disabled their vessel during a different operation.
These series of incidents have placed Indian seafarers at the heart of the maritime crisis around the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. India provides a substantial part of the global merchant marine workforce, with Indian nationals working on thousands of tankers and cargo vessels in the region.
This latest rescue highlights the increasing role of Omani authorities in dealing with maritime emergencies linked to blockade enforcement. The Royal Navy of Oman has been involved in several rescue missions concerning commercial vessels disabled near its waters.
According to CENTCOM, U.S. forces have now disabled nine non-compliant vessels, redirected 135 ships that followed military instructions, and allowed 42 humanitarian vessels to pass since blockade operations began on April 13.
As these enforcement actions continue, the safety of civilian merchant crews is becoming a growing concern for governments and shipping organizations. While all crew members on the Jalveer were rescued safely, this week saw Indian seafarers face both their first fatalities and several evacuations in connection with the ongoing campaign.