India has issued a strong condemnation following an attack on an Indian-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Oman this Wednesday. The incident, which resulted in the vessel reportedly sinking, has raised fresh concerns regarding the safety of commercial shipping in the region. According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, all Indian crew members on board were safely rescued, and the government expressed its gratitude to Omani authorities for their swift intervention in the emergency operation.

While official reports have not identified the perpetrators, maritime security firm Vanguard identified the sunken vessel as the MSV Haj Ali, a livestock carrier. Reports suggest that the ship suffered a catastrophic fire following a suspected drone or missile strike near the Strait of Hormuz, forcing the 14-member crew to abandon the vessel. This development comes at a sensitive time, as India hosts BRICS foreign ministers, including Iran’s Abbas Araghchi, in New Delhi. Although Iranian officials have maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to cooperative vessels, the incident marks a concerning trend of violence against civilian mariners that India has labeled as entirely unacceptable.