12 crew injured in projectile strike on vessel off Oman

A projectile struck the Panamanian-flagged commercial vessel MT On Peace as it transited the Strait of Hormuz off Oman, injuring 12 crew members, including 11 Indian nationals, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said Tuesday. The injured crew were evacuated with help from Omani authorities and are receiving medical treatment in Khasab, Oman, the ministry said. The vessel had 19 crew members, 17 of them Indian nationals, according to the ministry. The reports did not identify who was responsible for the strike, and no independent verification of the ministry’s account was provided in the supplied information. India condemned the attack and called for an immediate end to attacks on shipping in the region. The ministry said commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure should not be targeted, and called for navigation and commerce through international waterways to be restored. It described continuing attacks on shipping as a matter of deep concern. Omani authorities assisted in evacuating the injured crew and arranging their treatment in Khasab, the ministry said. India thanked Oman for its support.