24 Indian sailors rescued after missile attack off Oman coast
What's the story
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai coordinated closely with Omani authorities to rescue all 24 Indian crew members from a tanker that was attacked off the coast of Oman. The incident occurred on Monday when the Palau-flagged MT Marivex was struck by a missile while anchored near Masirah, Oman. The attack was reported to MRCC Mumbai by a relative of one of the crew members.
Maritime safety
'US Navy missile attack on our engine room'
A fire was reported on the ship, which was not carrying any cargo, at 1:30 pm, after the missile struck, Opesh Kumar Sharma, director in the shipping ministry, told a media briefing. "The vessel was well out of the Strait of Hormuz and well clear to the south," he said. An audio recording of an SOS sent by the crew contained a member reporting that the vessel was on fire following a "US Navy missile attack on our engine room."
Twitter Post
Visuals of rescue
#WATCH | New Delhi | Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Mumbai, in coordination with Omani authorities, rescued 24 Indian crew members following a missile attack on the Palau-flagged tanker MT Marivex off the coast of Oman. The rescued crew members are reported to be… pic.twitter.com/j8VyFa5GlM
— ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2026
Rescue coordination
MRCC Mumbai contacted Oman Maritime Search and Rescue Centre
Upon receiving the distress call, MRCC Mumbai immediately contacted the Oman Maritime Search and Rescue Centre (OMSC) for assistance. The OMSC took over as the Search Mission Coordinator and launched a rescue operation by diverting a nearby vessel and deploying two rescue helicopters. By 5:00pm all crew members had been safely rescued by Oman Navy helicopters.
Sanctioned vessel
MT Marivex black-listed by US for violating Iranian oil sanctions
The MT Marivex was reportedly black-listed and sanctioned by the United States for violating sanctions on Iranian oil. Per HT, people familiar with the matter said Marivex made a fourth attempt on Monday to get past the US blockade by using Oman's territorial waters. To avoid detection, the vessel turned off its signal devices. This pattern indicated that the vessel's intentions were not "above board," they stated.