Indian cargo ship sinks near Oman after suspected attack; MEA calls incident ‘unacceptable’

India on May 14 strongly condemned an attack on an Indian-flagged cargo vessel off the coast of Oman after the ship reportedly sank following a suspected drone strike in regional waters amid escalating maritime tensions in West Asia.

The vessel, identified as MSV Haji Ali, was reportedly travelling from Berbera port in Somalia to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates when it came under attack near Limah, off Oman’s northern coast, around 3:30 am on May 13. Preliminary reports cited by Indian media said the ship was struck by an unidentified drone or missile-like projectile.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), all 14 Indian crew members onboard were rescued safely by the Oman Coast Guard following the incident. The ministry thanked Omani authorities for carrying out the rescue operation.

In an official statement, the MEA described the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian mariners as “unacceptable” and said such attacks threaten freedom of navigation and maritime commerce in the region.

The incident comes amid heightened instability across key Gulf shipping routes linked to the broader Iran-West Asia conflict. Maritime security concerns in and around the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman have intensified in recent months following multiple attacks on commercial vessels, ports and energy infrastructure.

Reports indicate that Oman’s coastal areas and nearby shipping lanes have witnessed repeated drone and missile-related incidents since March 2026, affecting oil tankers, cargo ships and port facilities.

The attack on MSV Haji Ali has also renewed concerns over the safety of Indian commercial shipping operating through the Gulf region. India relies heavily on maritime trade routes through the Arabian Sea and Strait of Hormuz for energy imports and cargo movement.

According to reports, India has already increased naval deployments in the region under maritime security operations aimed at escorting commercial vessels through sensitive waters affected by regional conflict.

The sinking of the Indian-flagged ship follows a series of earlier attacks on commercial vessels in the broader Middle East maritime corridor, including incidents involving tankers and cargo ships in the Red Sea and Gulf waters over the past two years.

Authorities have not officially identified the group or country responsible for the latest attack near Oman. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.