All 14 Indians rescued after US Navy aids sinking dhow off Oman coast amid regional tensions

A dhow carrying 14 Indian nationals began sinking off the coast of Oman on Sunday, triggering a rescue operation involving the US Navy, the Indian Navy and a nearby merchant vessel.

According to government sources, the distressed vessel was located around 80 nautical miles east of Ras Al Hadd, Oman, on the morning of June 14. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in waters around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime routes.

US Navy P-8 aircraft among first responders

According to reports, a US Navy P-8 maritime patrol aircraft was among the first to respond after receiving information about the sinking dhow.

The aircraft dropped a life raft near the vessel and monitored the evacuation process. After the dhow reportedly started going down, those onboard moved onto the life raft while rescue efforts continued.

Merchant vessel diverted to rescue stranded crew

The US Navy also coordinated assistance from a nearby merchant vessel, MV Jabal Ali 9.

The St Kitts and Nevis-flagged ship, which was travelling from Sohar and heading towards Mumbai, was already operating close to the area. At the request of the P-8 aircraft, the vessel changed course to assist the distressed dhow.

Officials confirmed that all 14 people onboard are Indian nationals. Their condition was not immediately known, but authorities were closely monitoring the operation.

Rescue comes amid tensions near Strait of Hormuz

The incident took place off Oman’s eastern coast, near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.

The region has witnessed growing tensions in recent months due to the wider conflict in the Middle East and strained relations involving Iran and the United States.