Calling for an immediate de-escalation in West Asia, India on Sunday condemned the attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman and said the ship had 14 Indians onboard, of which 13 have been rescued so far, while adding that a search operation remains underway for the missing national.
The Indian Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and is in constant touch with the local authorities and coordinating proactively with them for the rescue operation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
It also thanked the Omani authorities for their help in rescuing the Indian nationals.
“We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and pursuance of dialog and diplomacy to bring peace to the region,” the MEA added.
The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable. It also called for the earliest restoration of free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through the international waterways in the region.
PM Modi urges creation of 'Seafarers’ Emergency Support Network’The strike on MT El Gaia earlier today is the latest in a series of attacks on merchant vessels in the region. India has been highlighting this and expressing concern about the safety of seafarers. The government says 16 Indians have been killed in the region since the US-Iran war started there, including 10 Indian seafarers.
At the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Saturday, had called for a 'Seafarers' Emergency Support Network' to protect sailors facing increased risks due to global and regional crisis. He said seafarers are a critical part of the flow of global trade and their safety must be a priority for everyone.
Seafarers are a vital part of global trade but often unsupported in times of trouble. The Prime Minister had said, “I propose that we set up a ‘Seafarers’ Emergency Support Network’.”
“This would link the maritime authorities and diplomatic missions of the concerned countries, enabling assistance in distress alerts, medical aid, family notifications, and evacuations,” he further added.
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