- Liberia-flagged LPG tanker MT Al Maryah hit by drone.
- No major damage; all 19 crew members, including 9 Indians, safe.
- Incident raises maritime security concerns in Strait of Hormuz.
A Liberia-flagged LPG tanker, MT Al Maryah, was hit by a drone on Sunday while sailing eastbound outside the Strait of Hormuz. According to a report by the Directorate of Maritime Administration, the vessel sustained no major damage. Its power systems and main engine remain fully operational, and it has been safely anchored at Khor Fakkan.
All crew reportedly safe
All 19 crew members on board are confirmed safe, including nine Indian nationals. The incident occurs amid ongoing security concerns for commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The report noted that six Indian-flagged vessels and seven foreign-flagged vessels of Indian interest were positioned in the Persian Gulf, west of the Strait, carrying a total of 145 Indian seafarers.
Nine vessels of Indian interest, comprising both Indian-flagged and India-bound foreign-flagged ships, remain in the area west of the Strait and have been identified for potential evacuation. These include seven fertiliser cargo vessels and two others.
Overall, authorities have recorded four incidents involving Indian-flagged vessels and 58 involving foreign-flagged ships with Indian crew members. These have resulted in 10 confirmed fatalities, 12 injuries, and one presumed death.
No additional operational safety or security incidents involving Indian vessels or seafarers were reported on Sunday.
Iran rules out reopening Strait of Hormuz
Meanwhile, Iran has ruled out reopening the Strait of Hormuz or returning to the previous framework of negotiations with the United States until Washington meets Tehrans conditions, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.
According to Al Jazeera, Ghalibaf said Iran had conveyed its demands to the United States through intermediaries and would not reconsider its position until Tehran's conditions were fulfilled.
Our messages and conditions have been conveyed explicitly to the other side through intermediaries... And until these conditions are met, the inalienable rights of the Iranian nation are recognised, and the Americans fulfil their commitments, there will be no possibility of a return to the previous negotiation framework or to reopen the Strait of Hormuz,� Ghalibaf said.
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a major flashpoint in the escalating US-Iran confrontation. The strategic waterway is a crucial route for global energy shipments, and restrictions on maritime traffic have raised concerns over further disruption to international trade and oil supplies.
(With inputs from agencies)
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