An Indian cargo ship named ‘Haji Ali’ sank in the Strait of Hormuz after a suspected drone attack near the Oman coast early Wednesday morning. The vessel, which was travelling from Berbera in Somalia to Sharjah, caught fire after a powerful explosion hit the ship near Limah in Oman. All 14 crew members on board managed to escape using lifeboats before the vessel went down into the sea. India has strongly condemned the attack and called it “unacceptable”.
Indian Ship Attacked Near Oman Coast
The cargo vessel, officially identified as MSV Haji Ali BDI 1492, belongs to Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district. According to reports, the attack took place around 3:30 AM on May 13 when the ship was passing through waters near Oman’s coast in the Strait of Hormuz.
Officials believe a drone or missile struck the vessel with a massive blast, triggering a fire onboard. Within minutes, the ship started sinking into the sea.
Crew Members Escaped Using Lifeboats
The ship had 14 crew members on board at the time of the attack. As the fire spread rapidly, the crew quickly sent emergency signals and escaped through lifeboats.
The Oman Coast Guard launched an immediate rescue operation and safely rescued all 14 Indian sailors. They were later shifted to Oman’s Diba port. Ship owner Sultan Ahmed Sanghar confirmed that every crew member survived the incident safely.
Second Indian Vessel Lost In Hormuz Region
This is the second Indian-linked ship to sink in international waters near the Strait of Hormuz within a week. Earlier, another Gujarat-based vessel named ‘Al Faiz Noor Sulemani-1’ sank after getting caught in firing between Iran and the United States on May 8.
That ship was travelling from Dubai to Mukalla in Yemen when the attack happened.
The back-to-back incidents have raised serious concerns for India’s shipping industry, especially for Gujarat-based cargo operators working in Gulf trade routes.
India Condemns The Attack
India’s Ministry of External Affairs strongly reacted to the incident and condemned the targeting of commercial ships and civilian sailors. The ministry described the attack as “unacceptable” and stressed that innocent crew members should never be put at risk.
Our statement on the attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman ⬇️
🔗 https://t.co/whly2BJ4TJ pic.twitter.com/PF0wAQ14zY
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) May 14, 2026
India also thanked Oman authorities for rescuing the sailors safely and said freedom of navigation and global trade routes must be protected during ongoing regional tensions.
Investigation Underway
Oman police and security agencies have started an investigation to identify who carried out the attack. So far, no group or country has officially claimed responsibility.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to safely bring the rescued Indian sailors back home.