An Indian national has been killed after Iran targeted two oil tankers off Iraq’s coast overnight. The attack comes as the war in the region intensifies and tensions remain high across key energy shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Attacks Tankers Using Explosive-Laden Boat
According to a report by Reuters, explosive-laden Iranian boats struck two oil tankers on Wednesday. The report cited preliminary findings from an Iraqi-led investigation into fires that broke out on the vessels following the explosions.
The tankers, the Maltese-flagged Zefyros and the Marshallese-flagged Safesea Vishnu, were anchored alongside each other when the attack occurred.
Authorities said the vessels may have been carrying up to 400,000 barrels of Iraqi oil, according to tanker-tracking firm TankerTrackers.com.
Safesea Vishnu, Zefyros Crew
Officials said a large-scale rescue operation was launched after the explosions.
Farhan al Fartousi, Director General of the Iraqi Ports Company, told CNN that 38 foreign crew members had to be evacuated from the damaged ships.
“The explosions forced the rescue of the 38 foreign crew members from the ships,” al Fartousi said.
Reports added that 27 crew members and personnel aboard one of the vessels were rescued and transported to Basra, a major port city in southern Iraq.
About Safesea Vishnu And Zefyros
Video footage of the incident shows large flames spreading across the surrounding waters, suggesting that oil may have leaked from the tankers after the blasts. The vessels were anchored side-by-side prior to the attack, according to reports.
The owner of Safesea Vishnu is US-based Safesea Transport Inc., while Zefyros is owned by a company in Greece.
Safesea Transport did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Attack Occurred Inside Iraqi Waters
The reported attack took place within Iraq’s territorial waters at Al Faw Port, located near the city of Basra, according to Al Jazeera.
Analysts say the strikes appear to be part of Iran’s broader strategy to pressure Washington to halt attacks on Iranian and Iran-linked targets while deterring the United States from escalating the conflict further.
The incident also marks the first time Iran has directly targeted oil tankers since warning that “not a litre of oil” would be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes.
India Condemns Attacks on Commercial Shipping in Strait of Hormuz
Meanwhile, Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday condemned another attack involving a Thai bulk carrier transiting the Strait of Hormuz and heading to India.
Photographs shared by the Royal Thai Navy showed thick black smoke rising from the rear of the Thai-registered vessel Mayuree Naree, while life rafts were seen floating in the water.
In an official statement, the ministry said, “We have seen reports about the attack on a Thai ship, Mayuree Naree, in the Straits of Hormuz on 11 March. The ship was bound for Kandla in India. India deplores the fact that commercial shipping is being made a target of military attack since the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Precious lives, including of Indian citizens, have already been lost in multiple such attacks in the earlier phase of this conflict and the intensity and lethality of the attacks only seems to be increasing.”
Addressing casualties involving Indian nationals, Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that multiple Indians have been affected during attacks on merchant vessels operating in conflict-affected waters.
“As for the casualties, we have lost two Indian nationals, and one remains missing. We express our condolences to their families. The incidents of death and the missing person occurred when they were on merchant vessels that came under attack,” Jaiswal said.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
