India on Saturday dismissed reports of a fresh attack on a merchant vessel carrying Indian crew members in the Gulf region, saying all those on board MT Liaki Freedom were safe and that information circulating about the incident was false.
The clarification came amid heightened concerns over the safety of Indian seafarers following a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman that have already claimed the lives of three Indian mariners.
“We have spoken with the Master of the vessel Liaki Freedom, who has confirmed that all crew members are safe and that the reported information is false,” a senior Ministry of External Affairs official said.
The MEA’s Fact Check unit also cautioned against the spread of “false and baseless claims” on social media.
Reports of a fourth attack had surfaced earlier in the day, with some media outlets claiming that contact had been lost with the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MT Liaki Freedom off the coast of Oman. The vessel, built in 2007, is a chemical and oil products tanker sailing under the Marshall Islands flag.
The denial comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Gulf and growing anxiety in New Delhi over the safety of Indian seafarers working on merchant vessels traversing the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman.
Three Indian sailors were killed earlier this week in one of the attacks on commercial shipping, prompting India to lodge strong diplomatic protests with the United States.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has since raised the issue directly with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asserting that “lethal actions against civilian shipping were unjustified”.
Another vessel, MT Jalveer, carrying 20 Indian crew members, was targeted near Oman earlier this week, although all those on board were reported safe.
The incidents have intensified concerns over the safety of Indian nationals employed in the global maritime industry and the security of one of the world’s busiest energy corridors.
