7 Indian vessels with 148 seafarers stranded in Persian Gulf

New Delhi : Amidst heightened US-Iran military tensions, seven Indian-flagged vessels and 148 seafarers remain in the volatile Persian Gulf, raising critical concerns for maritime safety and regional stability.

Seven Indian-flagged vessels, with 148 seafarers, are currently in the Strait of Hormuz region amid US-Iran military escalation.

These vessels are unlikely to depart the Persian Gulf until tensions de-escalate, impacting commercial activities.

An Indian crew member was tragically killed in an attack on the merchant ship MT Al Bahyah, highlighting severe maritime risks.

The recent attacks on merchant ships follow an earlier Iranian attack that left another Indian crew member missing. Escalating tensions in the region are jeopardising the fragile peace deal between the US and Iran.

As many as seven Indian-flagged vessels were on the western side of the Strait of Hormuz before the start of the latest military escalation between the United States and Iran, a government official said on Tuesday.

Just like the early part of the West Asia conflict, these vessels are unlikely to sail out of the Persian Gulf before de-escalation of tensions, he said.

Indian Seafarers Trapped Amidst Escalation : The official told PTI that five Indian-flagged vessels are engaged in commercial activities in the region.

"About 148 seafarers are onboard the seven Indian-flagged vessels in the Persian Gulf. And given the current situation, they are not planning to come out of the region as of now," he said.

The attacks on two merchant ships MT Al Bahyah and MT Mombasa B reportedly during the early hours of July 14 came two days after an Iranian attack on the Cyprus-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy left an Indian crew member missing.

The vessel MT Al Bahyah had a total of 23 crew members comprising 12 Indians, 6 Filipinos, 3 Russians, 1 Egyptian, and 1 Sri Lankan.

MT Mombasa B also had 23 crew members comprising 17 Indians, 3 Ukrainians, and 3 Georgians.

An Indian crew member on MT Al Bahyah has been confirmed to be killed, the official said.

The fresh escalation in tensions has raised questions over the fragile peace deal finalised between the US and Iran in June.