NEW DELHI: Five Indians have lost their lives and one remains missing in the ongoing conflict in Middle East, the government said on Saturday, while also confirming that two Indian-flagged LPG carriers have safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are now on their way to India with critical fuel supplies.Speaking at an inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi, additional secretary (Gulf) Aseem Mahajan said India’s missions in the region are working round the clock to assist affected nationals and coordinate with local authorities.
“We have five Indians who have lost their lives and one who is missing in an earlier incident. Our missions in Oman, Iraq, UAE remain in touch with the concerned authorities regarding the missing Indian national and for early repatriation of mortal remains of the deceased after completing requisite formalities,” Mahajan said.
Missions working round the clock in conflict-hit region
Mahajan said Indian missions remain open round the clock and are actively involved in all assistance efforts as the conflict continues to disrupt travel, shipping and daily life across parts of Middle East.He said all support is being extended to Indian seafarers in the region, with the ministry of external affairs working closely with the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways.For Indian nationals in Bahrain and Kuwait, where direct flights are currently not operating, Mahajan said authorities are helping with visa extensions and transit visas to enable travel back to India via Saudi Arabia.
Update on Oman and Safesea Vishnu incidents
Providing an update on the attack in Sohar city in Oman, Mahajan said two Indians were killed and 10 others were injured, though none of the injured were reported to be in serious condition.“Our mission has been on the ground and is rendering all assistance and is in contant touch with the concerned Omani authorities, local companies, hospitals and families of the affected Indians. The Embassy is also coordinating to facilitate the early return of the mortal remains of the two deceased Indian nationals to India,” he said, according to news agency ANI.On the Safesea Vishnu incident, Mahajan said officials are working for the early return of 15 crew members who were safely evacuated and are currently staying at a hotel in Basra, Iraq.“They are also working with the concerned authorities for the early return of the mortal remains to India of the Indian national,” he added, as per ANI.
Two Indian LPG carriers clear Strait of Hormuz
At the same briefing, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary in the shipping ministry, said two Indian-flagged LPG carriers — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — have transited the Strait of Hormuz and are now headed to India carrying around 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG.The two vessels crossed the narrow and conflict-hit shipping lane early on Saturday, taking the number of Indian vessels that have safely passed through the strait to three.Shivalik is expected to reach Mundra port in Gujarat on March 16, while Nanda Devi is likely to dock at Kandla on March 17.The cargo is seen as crucial, with shipping disruptions affecting LPG supplies. India imports around 60 per cent of its LPG requirement, and 85-90 per cent of those imports come from Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE via the Strait of Hormuz.
More Indian vessels still on standby
Despite the breakthrough, 22 Indian-flagged vessels remain stranded on the western side of the strait, while three more are still on the eastern side.The 22 vessels on the west side have 611 seafarers on board, while the three vessels on the east side have 76 seafarers. These include LPG vessels, an LNG carrier, crude oil tankers, container ships, bulk carriers and other cargo vessels.“Several of our ships remain on standby in the Gulf region. We propose to continue to remain in touch and coordinate with all the concerned countries to ensure a safe and unimpeded transit for them in our effort to ensure our energy security,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the briefing.The developments come as the war in the Middle East enters its 15th day, with continued exchanges of fire, fears over a possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and growing concerns over global energy supplies and regional security.
