Indian LPG Carriers Transit Hormuz as India Condemns Attack on Cargo Vessel off Oman Coast
Moneylife Digital Team 14 May 2026
Two India-bound liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers have successfully crossed the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz amid continuing tensions in West Asia, even as an India-flagged cargo vessel sank after coming under attack near Omani waters, officials say on Thursday.
 
According to Mukesh Mangal, additional secretary in the Indian ministry of ports, shipping and waterways, LPG tanker Symi transited through the Strait of Hormuz on 13 May 2026, while NV Sunshine safely crossed the waterway on Thursday.
 
 
The latest movements take the total number of Indian vessels to have crossed the key maritime corridor since the outbreak of the US-Israel-Iran conflict to 13.
 
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes, has witnessed severe disruptions since the US-Israel strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation more than two months ago.
 
Separately, an India-flagged mechanised sailing vessel (MSV), MSV Haji Ali, sank after reportedly being hit near the Omani coast during its voyage from Somalia to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
 
Mr Mangal says the vessel came under attack in the early hours of Wednesday in Omani waters, resulting in a fire onboard and the eventual sinking of the wooden dhow.
 
The Indian ministry of external affairs (MEA) strongly condemned the incident, describing the attack on a commercial Indian vessel as 'unacceptable'.
 
“The attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman yesterday is unacceptable, and we deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted,” the MEA says in a statement.
 
MEA also reiterated India’s position that commercial shipping routes and civilian crew members must not be endangered.
 
“India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided,” the statement added.
 
According to MEA, all Indian crew members on board the vessel were rescued safely, and India thanked the Omani authorities for carrying out the evacuation operation promptly.
 
Local media reports say teams from the Oman Coast Guard rescued all 14 crew members after the vessel caught fire following the strike.
 
The ship’s owner, Sultan Ahmed Ansar from Dwarka in Gujarat, reportedly said the vessel became stranded off the Omani coast around 3:30am local time.
 
According to the maritime security firm Vanguard, preliminary reports suggest the vessel may have been struck by a drone or a missile-like projectile.
 
The firm says the cargo vessel was carrying livestock from Berbera Port in Somalia’s Somaliland region to Sharjah when a 'suspected explosion believed to have been caused by a drone or missile strike' occurred.
 
Vanguard further stated that the fire on board forced the crew to abandon the vessel, which eventually sank near Limah, Oman, south of the Strait of Hormuz.
 
Ship tracking platform Maritime Traffic reportedly identified the vessel as a 54-metre-long wooden dhow.
 
The latest maritime incident comes amid growing concerns about the safety of international shipping lanes in West Asia amid escalating regional tensions.
 
Meanwhile, Iranian media reports cited by Al Jazeera claimed that around 30 ships had crossed the Strait of Hormuz since Wednesday under Iranian 'management protocols'.
 
According to the reports, Chinese vessels had also begun transiting the Strait under arrangements facilitated by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy.
 
The ongoing conflict in the region began after joint US-Israel strikes against Iran on 28th February which reportedly resulted in the death of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
 
The developments are being closely watched globally due to concerns that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could severely impact global energy supplies, trade routes and shipping costs.
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