First Indian casualty in West Asia conflict: Mariner on board oil tanker killed in projectile attack | India News
New Delhi: India on Monday suffered its first casualty in the ongoing conflict in West Asia as the oil tanker MKD bombed, which was hit by a projectile in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday, killing an Indian national on board.“The Embassy of India deeply mourns the tragic death of an Indian national on board the MKD Vyom. The Embassy is in close coordination with the local authorities in Oman to facilitate the safe and speedy repatriation of our nationals on board,” the Indian Embassy in Oman posted, adding, “We are committed to all possible assistance in this regard.”According to Oman’s official news agency, the Republic of Marshall Islands-flagged MKD VYOM was attacked by an unmanned surface vessel 52 nautical miles off the coast of Oman. Oman said the tanker’s 21-member crew, including 16 Indians, four Bangladeshis and a Ukrainian, were evacuated by the Panamanian-flagged commercial vessel MV Sand.Oman’s ministry, however, did not release the name of the deceased. “The ship was carrying cargo of approximately 59,463 metric tonnes. The attack caused a fire and explosion in the main engine room, resulting in the death of a crew member of Indian nationality,” it added.A day earlier, another oil tanker, the MV Skylight, carrying 15 Indian and five Iranian crew members, was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. Four crew members were injured in the attack on the skylight.The Strait of Hormuz handles about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Any disruption to this chokepoint immediately jolts global energy markets. It is estimated that 150 tankers have already dropped anchor outside the Strait of Hormuz. About 50% of India’s monthly oil and nearly all of its LPG imports pass through this important shipping route.The U.S. Energy Information Administration said there are “very few alternative options” to remove oil from the strait if it remains closed. At sea, S&P Global Commodities’ ship tracking data confirmed that no tankers passed through the narrow strait on March 1 as shipowners rerouted vessels following reports of their risk exposure and blockade.In 2024, oil flows through the strait will average 20 million barrels per day, or equivalent to about 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption, it said.
