A Dozen Seafarers Injured in Strait of Hormuz Tanker Attack, India Says

Twelve seafarers were injured after a Panama-flagged oil tanker was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, marking one of the most serious crew casualty incidents in the latest wave of attacks on commercial shipping.

The vessel was identified as the On Peace (IMO 9893204), an Aframax tanker carrying a crew of 19, including 17 Indian nationals. Eleven of the 12 injured crew members are Indian.

The injured seafarers were evacuated with assistance from Omani authorities and taken to Khasab for medical treatment, India’s foreign ministry said Tuesday.

“The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region remain a cause of deep concern for India,” the ministry said, calling for an immediate end to attacks targeting commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure.

India did not identify who carried out the attack.

The incident appears to be connected to an attack reported Monday by United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, although the link has not been formally confirmed.

In UKMTO Warning 156-26, the master of an unidentified tanker reported being struck by an unknown projectile at 1637 UTC on October 5 while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The strike caused a fire in the engine room, which the crew was still fighting when the warning was issued. UKMTO initially reported no casualties or environmental impact. 

A separate UKMTO Warning 157-26 covers another October 5 attack involving an outbound oil tanker struck by an unknown projectile, but that incident was reported as a time-late event and no casualties were disclosed. 

The On Peace is also notable as it appears on a blacklist maintained by Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority, which has accused listed vessels of violating Iranian transit protocols in the Strait. The authority has threatened vessels on the list with restrictions including fines, detention or confiscation.

The casualties come amid a sharp escalation in attacks around Hormuz. UKMTO issued four attack warnings and a separate advisory Monday covering incidents dating back to October 3, including strikes on crude oil and LPG tankers and an incident in which Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ordered an inbound tanker to turn around or face attack. 

India said the latest violence underscored the growing risk to merchant crews. “The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure in the region must end,” the foreign ministry said, adding that navigation and commerce through international waterways should be restored “at the earliest.”

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