Indian Sailor Dies, 4 Injured in Dhow Fire Near Hormuz

An Indian sailor died and four others suffered burn injuries when a wooden dhow carrying general cargo caught fire and capsized near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, according to government sources and officials.

The vessel, Al Faize Noore Sulemani 1, had 18 Indian crew members aboard and was en route from Dubai to Mukkam in Yemen. The fire broke out around 1 a.m. local time as it passed through the strategic waterway. The deceased was identified as Altaf Talab Ker, an engine driver from Salaya village in Gujarat's Dwarka district. A passing vessel, MSV Prem Sagar I, rescued the remaining crew at 7 a.m. and brought them back to Dubai port by 6 p.m.

The four injured crew members are receiving treatment at a hospital in Dubai and are reported to be stable. Officials from the Indian consulate in Dubai met with the rescued nationals that night and are coordinating with the dhow's owner to provide all possible assistance, sources said.

Authorities have not determined the exact cause of the fire, which remains under investigation. The incident occurred amid ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of...