India on Tuesday expressed gratitude to Oman for its swift assistance in rescuing all 24 Indian crew members aboard the Palau-flagged tanker MT Marivex after the vessel was disabled by US forces off the coast of Oman.

Addressing the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Indian authorities had immediately reached out to Omani officials following the incident and praised Muscat for ensuring the safety of the crew.

“Our embassy, for the rescue purpose, contacted the Omani authorities, who swung into action. We are grateful to the Omani government for its excellent support in rescuing the crew and ensuring their safety. Our mission continues to be in touch with the seafarers,” Jaiswal said.

All Indian Crew Members Rescued Safely

The incident occurred after the MT Marivex was disabled in the Gulf of Oman. According to the MEA, there had been communication between the vessel and the US Navy before the action was taken.

“The ship MT Marivex was disabled off the coast of Oman. We have learned that it is a Palau-flagged vessel. We also understand there was some exchange of communication between the ship and the US Navy before the incident. There were 24 crew members on board the ship, all of them being Indian nationals. They all have been rescued and are safe,” Jaiswal said.

The remarks came a day after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces had disabled the tanker on June 8 while it was transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman.

According to CENTCOM, the vessel was allegedly heading towards an Iranian port in violation of the US-led sanctions regime and failed to comply with instructions issued by American forces.

US Says Precision Strike Disabled Vessel

In a statement, CENTCOM said an F/A-18 Super Hornet operating from USS Abraham Lincoln launched a precision munition targeting the vessel’s engineering and steering spaces after the crew allegedly failed to respond to directions from US personnel.

The US military said the operation stopped the vessel from proceeding towards Iran and that the ship was no longer moving following the strike.

Earlier reports citing sources indicated that MT Marivex had been sanctioned by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The tanker was also alleged to have switched off its tracking systems and made repeated attempts to evade the blockade while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Indian Embassy Thanks Omani Authorities

Despite the incident, all 24 Indian nationals onboard were rescued safely with the assistance of Omani authorities.

The Indian Embassy in Muscat had earlier thanked Oman for its prompt response after reports emerged about the incident south of the Strait of Hormuz.

“We are thankful to the Omani authorities for their swift response and rescue of all the 24 crew members of Indian nationality onboard MT Marivex, and ensuring their safety,” the embassy said in a post on X.

The Indian mission in Oman remains in contact with the rescued seafarers as efforts continue to ensure their well-being following the incident.

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