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Oman’s Maritime Security Center said Monday that an oil tanker was targeted northwest of Sultan Qaboos Port, with the crew evacuated after a fire broke out.
The Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MKD VYOM “was attacked by a remotely operated boat” about 52 nautical miles off the coast of Muscat Governorate, the Maritime Security Center said on social media platform X.
The tanker was carrying about 59,463 metric tons of cargo, the center said, adding that the attack caused a fire and an explosion in the main engine room, killing one crew member of Indian nationality.
“In coordination with the Maritime Security Center, the tanker’s crew of 21 people, including 16 Indians, four Bangladeshis, and one Ukrainian, was evacuated by the commercial vessel MV SAND, flying the flag of Panama,” the center said.
A ship from the Royal Navy of Oman is overseeing the condition of the damaged tanker and issuing safety warnings to other vessels navigating the area, it added.
The incident came as the United States and Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran on Saturday, killing several top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Gulf countries that host U.S. assets.
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