A crude oil tanker carrying 15 seafarers from India was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, October 16, but all crew members escaped injury, Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed.The vessel, identified as MT ST 3, was hit while operating in the strategically important waterway connecting the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. Sonowal disclosed the incident in a statement on X, confirming that none of the 15 crew members had suffered injuries.
The minister did not identify the source of the projectile, specify the extent of damage to the tanker or provide details about its cargo, ownership, flag registration or intended destination. There was also no immediate confirmation of whether the vessel had continued sailing following the impact.
Sonowal simultaneously disclosed a separate drone strike involving the chemical tanker YARA J at Sulina Anchorage in Romania on October 14. Nine seafarers from India were aboard that vessel, and all survived without injuries.
"Thankfully, all 24 Indian nationals across both vessels are completely safe with no casualties or injuries," Sonowal said.
He added that authorities were maintaining contact with the companies managing both vessels and monitoring developments affecting their crews.
The two incidents have heightened concerns over the exposure of commercial shipping personnel to military hostilities in geographically separate maritime corridors. The Strait of Hormuz has experienced repeated attacks on merchant vessels amid the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, while shipping near Romania faces dangers associated with the war involving Russia and Ukraine.
India's government has intensified diplomatic appeals for the protection of commercial vessels and their crews. Addressing the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, India's Permanent Representative Harish Parvathaneni condemned attacks affecting maritime navigation and called for an immediate reduction in hostilities.
Parvathaneni urged the parties involved to resolve their differences through dialogue and diplomacy, stressing the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and protecting international commercial shipping.
He warned that repeated attacks on vessels and civilian maritime infrastructure threatened the safety of seafarers and could further aggravate an already volatile security environment.
The latest Hormuz incident follows attacks on two other tankers carrying crew members from India on October 11. One involved MT Petro Dolphin, a Nicaragua-flagged tanker struck by a drone at Sohar Anchorage in Oman.
Eleven seafarers from India were aboard Petro Dolphin when the attack occurred. Nine were rescued, while two were reported missing, prompting search-and-rescue operations involving local maritime authorities.
Sonowal said at the time that India's government was coordinating with relevant agencies and vessel operators to support efforts to locate the missing personnel. No verified update on their whereabouts accompanied Friday's announcement concerning MT ST 3.
Another tanker, MT Valthera, registered in the Marshall Islands, was struck by an unidentified projectile during the same period. The impact caused a fire, although the 11 crew members from India aboard the vessel were reported safe.
The attacks underline continuing security challenges for ships navigating the narrow Strait of Hormuz, an essential passage for crude oil and petroleum product exports from Gulf producers.
Disruption to tanker movements through the strait has affected energy shipments, increased uncertainty over maritime insurance and complicated voyage planning for operators serving international markets.
Shipping companies have faced difficult operational decisions as military activity threatens vessels moving between Gulf terminals and destinations across Asia and elsewhere. Maintaining communication with ship managers and monitoring crew safety have consequently become important responsibilities for governments whose nationals work aboard merchant ships.
The incident involving MT ST 3 also occurred amid warnings from Iran's military concerning navigation through waters it considers restricted. Iranian naval authorities separately described an oil tanker catching fire east of the strait after allegedly entering a prohibited area with its tracking systems switched off.
There was no confirmation connecting that account with MT ST 3, and the circumstances surrounding Friday's projectile strike remained unclear.
Meanwhile, Romania's Sulina Anchorage, where YARA J was struck, lies near shipping routes serving Black Sea ports. The October 14 drone incident involved nine seafarers from India, whose safety was confirmed in Sonowal's Friday statement.
The minister said government authorities remained in close communication with the management companies responsible for both vessels to safeguard their personnel.
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