Govt confirms fire on ship south of Hormuz, crew unharmed

The government on June 8 confirmed a fire incident aboard MT Marivex, a vessel carrying 24 Indian seafarers south of the Strait of Hormuz, adding that all crew members are safe.

During an inter-ministerial briefing, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) said fire was reported at around 1:30 pm on Monday.

"This is the preliminary information which we have received. Based on this, as per available information, all Indian seafarers are presently safe," according to a Ministry spokesperson.

“So, whether the ship was hit by a projectile or not, presently we are trying to get absolute information. As you are aware, the fire incident was at 1:30 today,” informed Opesh Kumar Sharma, Director in the Shipping Division.

"We are in touch with the owners, and we are trying to ascertain the facts. We are also in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and our mission in Oman," he added.

The Shipping Ministry is coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions abroad, and the Indian Navy and Ministry of Defence to ensure the safety of the seafarers. The vessel was well out of the Strait of Hormuz and well cleared to the south. It was not carrying any cargo and was in ballast condition.

The Embassy of India, Muscat, said in a post on X that “The Mission is seized of an incident involving a ship with Indian sailors onboard. We are in touch with the Omani authorities for their rescue and safety”.

Last month, an Indian seafarer lost his life while four others sustained burn injuries after a wooden dhow carrying 18 Indian crew members capsized near the Strait of Hormuz following a fire onboard.

The incident took place in the strategically sensitive Strait of Hormuz region, where tensions linked to the ongoing Iran-US conflict continue to escalate, and reports of drone activity in the area have heightened security concerns. According to sources, the wooden dhow was transporting general cargo when the fire broke out.

--IANS