Muscat, June 14 (IANS) All 14 Indian crew members aboard an Indian flagged mechanised sailing vessel ‘Virat 1’ that suffered an engine failure off the coast of Oman have been rescued, the Indian Embassy in Oman said on Sunday.

The Embassy also said that the crew members are currently onboard Jabal Ali 9 and were heading to Mumbai.

In a statement shared on social media platform X, the Indian Embassy in Oman said, “Rescue operation involving Indian Flagged MSV Virat 1 has been successfully completed. All 14 crew members have been rescued and are presently onboard Jabal Ali 9 heading to Mumbai . The crew members are safe and in good health.”

Earlier on Sunday, the Embassy added that Indian flagged mechanised sailing vessel Virat 1 experienced an engine failure and rescue operation was being conducted to evacuate crew members.

“It has emerged that the vessel experienced an engine failure, and the crew eventually transferred safely to a liferaft. Rescue operation is presently underway through ships in vicinity, under coordination of Omani authorities,” the Indian Embassy in Oman said on X.

In recent days, commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members have been attacked by the US off the coast of Oman.

On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned US Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks to lodge India’s strong protest against the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian seafarers in the Gulf of Oman, stressing that Washington’s actions are “unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce” in a sensitive region.

“A strong protest was lodged with him regarding the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners in the Gulf of Oman, which have already resulted in the tragic and avoidable loss of three Indian lives,” the MEA said in a statement.

“The Ministry once again conveyed its deep concern over the use of lethal and deadly force against civilian shipping. Such actions are unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce in a sensitive region at a difficult time,” it added.

The MEA said that the US Charge d’Affaires was requested to convey India’s strong concerns to US authorities and ensure that US forces operating in the region take all necessary measures to stop the loss of civilian life.

This marked the second time that the US official was summoned by the MEA in recent days over the attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman.

Earlier on Wednesday, India had summoned the US Charge d’Affaires to lodge a “strong protest” over recent attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman, including the commercial ship ‘Settebello’, where three Indian seafarers were killed.

On Thursday, the Indian Embassy in Muscat said that all 20 Indian crew members on board ‘MT Jalveer’ were rescued with the support of Omani authorities.

On Wednesday, an attack was reported on a commercial vessel, ‘Settebello’, off the coast of Oman. Of the 24 Indian crew members onboard the vessel, 21 were rescued while three others were killed.

The first incident involved ‘MT Marivex’ on June 8, when a fire erupted aboard the vessel carrying 24 Indian seafarers south of the Strait of Hormuz.

–IANS

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