Thirteen Indian nationals have been killed and three remain missing in the Gulf region since the US-Iran war erupted on February 28, according to PTI. The latest casualty came after missiles struck two Emirati oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, killing an Indian crew member aboard MT Al Bahyah.
The attack came just two days after an Indian seafarer went missing when the Cyprus-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy was hit in an Iranian strike. Even as the conflict intensifies, seven Indian-flagged vessels carrying 148 Indian seafarers remain inside the Persian Gulf, where they are waiting for the security situation to improve before attempting to leave the region.
The most recent fatality occurred after missiles struck MT Al Bahyah and MT Mombasa B while they were sailing through the southern shipping lane within Omani territorial waters. An Indian crew member aboard MT Al Bahyah was killed in the attack, according to government officials
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for targeting the tankers. The IRGC said the vessels had "ignored repeated warnings" before being "targeted and disabled". It also accused Washington of "inciting vessels to use an illegal route".
