An Indian national remains missing after an Iranian attack on a Cyprus-flagged commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman. GFS Galaxy caught fire, forcing the crew to flee, reports suggest. Ten of the 11 Indians, who were on board, have been rescued so far while one is still missing, the Indian government has confirmed.
"We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman earlier today. Of the 11 Indian nationals on board, 10 have been rescued so far, while 1 Indian national is reportedly missing," said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement.
The Indian Embassy in Oman, it said, is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the Omani authorities for the ongoing search and rescue operation.
GFS Galaxy suffered significant damage after it came under an attack that Iran justified as a course-correction move for taking an "unauthorised" route. Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz -- a maritiime oil chokepoint -- while the US began a new round of strikes, escalating tensions in the Middle East once again.
'Deeply Worrisome,' Says India
India described the continued attacks on ships as deeply worrisome and called for an immediate de-escalation.
"The continuing incidents of attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply worrisome. We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region," it said.
Commercial ships and civilian infrastructure must not be targeted in accordance with international law, it stressed.
"The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest," it added.
Round 3 Of US Strikes
The US has launched at least three rounds of strikes after the ship attack, while confirming that a civilian crew member had gone missing and that the ship has been damaged to the point that it cannot continue its journey.
"Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but has again failed. In response, the US is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait," said the US Central Command that oversees the military's Middle East operations.
The latest flurry of shots from both sides comes a day after Iran and Oman's foreign ministers met to discuss the strait that lies between them, after days of Iranian attacks on ships and US retaliation that dealt a blow to the interim deal to end the war.
– with Agencies inputs --
