A wooden sailing vessel carrying general cargo with a crew of 18 Indian nationals reportedly capsized near the Strait of Hormuz after a fire broke out on board. According to ANI, citing a government source, one Indian crew member died and four others suffered burns.
A source said a passing vessel rescued the crew after the dhow caught fire and capsized, the report said.
The accident occurred on Friday on a strategically important waterway. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.
“In this incident, one Indian crew member of the dhow died while four others sustained burn injuries,” ANI quoted a source as saying. The injured crew members are being treated in Dubai and their condition is said to be stable.
“Our officials from the Indian consulate met the rescued Indian nationals last night. The consulate is also in touch with the owner of the Dhow and is providing all possible assistance,” the source added, the report said.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday that 11 Indian ships had successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz while 13 vessels remained in the Persian Gulf.
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Responding to reports that Iranian ships may use Indian territorial waters to bypass blockades, Jaiswal said vessels from other countries do not need permission to sail through international waters. However, he noted that issues related to entry into Indian territorial waters are technical in nature and would be better handled by the Ministry of Shipping or other relevant authorities.
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He also said that diplomatic talks with Iran have led to progress and that India has remained in touch with Iranian authorities to facilitate the safe passage of the remaining ships through the Strait of Hormuz to continue to their destinations in India.
American fighter jets neutralized two tankers sailing under the Iranian flag
Tensions escalated on Friday after a US fighter jet targeted and disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers, saying the vessels had violated Washington’s maritime restrictions on Iranian ports. The move prompted retaliatory attacks from Iran.
Read also | Iran says US naval forces launched a missile attack near Hormuz after the tanker attack
A senior Iranian military official told local media that the country’s naval forces had “responded to ceasefire violations and US terrorism with strikes”, adding that hostilities had since ended.
The confrontation followed another bout of unrest overnight between Thursday and Friday in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route. Iran is seeking greater control over the passage to impose transit fees on foreign vessels and strengthen its economic influence over the United States and its allies.
Meanwhile, Iran on Saturday questioned the sincerity of US diplomatic efforts following renewed naval clashes in the Persian Gulf, while the United States continued to await Tehran’s response to its latest proposal for negotiations.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday he expected Iran to respond “tonight” to Washington’s latest proposal to extend a fragile truce and start peace talks, according to AFP.
But there was no public indication that Iran would communicate any response through Pakistan, which brokered the discussions. In a phone call with his Turkish counterpart, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi questioned the credibility and reliability of the American leadership.
According to an Iranian report on the call mentioned by the ISNA news agency, he said: “The recent escalation of tensions by US forces in the Persian Gulf and their numerous actions in violation of the ceasefire have contributed to suspicions about the motivation and seriousness of the US side on the path of diplomacy.”
(With input from agencies)
