Kuwait-Flagged Tanker Carrying 21 Indian Seafarers Hit in Strait of Hormuz
The Kuwait-flagged oil product tanker M/T Al Dasma was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, but all 21 Indian seafarers are safe.
- Headline: Kuwait-Flagged Tanker Carrying 21 Indian Seafarers Hit in Strait of Hormuz
- Dispatch Summary: The Kuwait-flagged oil product tanker M/T Al Dasma was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, but all 21 Indian seafarers are safe.
- Verification: Corroborated across independent reporting outlets with primary sources and real-time wire transmissions.
A Kuwait-flagged oil product tanker carrying 21 Indian seafarers was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, sparking an onboard fire and subsequent anchoring of the vessel. The attack on the M/T Al Dasma occurred on Wednesday, October 21, near the strategic waterway, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and reports from Madhyamam Online. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced that all crew members remain completely safe.
The incident places renewed scrutiny on one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes as commercial vessels face repeated strikes. The UKMTO tracked the strike at 11 nautical miles west of Bukha, Oman. No environmental impact was reported at the time of the advisory. Meanwhile, geopolitical friction deepens around the waterway, where vessels have been soft targets since the beginning of the conflict between the United States and Iran, according to reports.
US and Indian Officials Condemn Escalating Attacks on Seafarers
Reacting to the spate of attacks on commercial shipping, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio drew a sharp parallel in an interview with News 18, stating that Iran was resorting to Nazi U boat tactics
and the world must condemn it.
They are doing Nazi U boat tactics. And that's what the world should be rallying around and condemning. Every single night, the United States defends shipping. The overwhelming majority of these drones and missiles that they are launching at ships are being destroyed.
Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, via Firstpost
Rubio added that occasionally projectiles get through, hitting engine rooms and causing casualties, noting that Many Indian sailors have lost their lives in these strikes because there's such a large number of Indian sailors out there.
Washington will continue what he termed extraordinary economic pressure
on Tehran, accusing it of using resources to sponsor terrorism and manufacture missiles and drones to sink commercial vessels instead of improving the lives of its people.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar previously stated that attacks on seafarers and commercial ships were regrettably
no longer exceptional and the loss of lives was indefensible
. Those remarks coincided with India and Liberia announcing a group of friends
on the safety and security of shipping and seafarers on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also emphasized maritime security during his message to world leaders at the BRICS Business Forum in Delhi held in September.
Global trade progress is possible only when sea lanes are secure, supply routes remain open, and seafarers are safe. That is why India is a staunch supporter of freedom of navigation and the safety of seafarers.
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, via India TV News
What Led M/T Al Dasma into the Line of Fire on October 21?
The M/T Al Dasma was transiting the Strait of Hormuz when it was struck by an unknown projectile. The origin of the projectile remains unknown. Following the impact, a fire broke out on the ship, which was later extinguished, and the tanker was subsequently anchored. All crew members were reported safe.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal shared details of the incident in a public statement on X, writing:
On Oct 21, Kuwait-flagged oil product tanker M/T AL DASMA, carrying 21 Indian seafarers, was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. All 21 of our Indian crew members, along with the rest of the crew are completely safe.
Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, via X
Sonowal added, We are continuously monitoring the situation and remain in close contact with the ship management company to ensure the ongoing security and wellbeing of our seafarers,
Who is Affected and How Are Regional Incidents Escalating?
Commercial mariners and shipping companies operating through the Gulf bear the immediate brunt of these security concerns. The risks to Indian seafarers in particular have sharpened amid escalating Middle East conflict across the Gulf, the Red Sea, and adjoining waters.
- 21 Indian seafarers aboard the M/T Al Dasma, all of whom along with the rest of the crew are completely safe following the strike, subsequent fire, and anchoring of the vessel.
- 15 Indian seafarers who were aboard the crude oil tanker MT ST 3 during a previous projectile strike on October 16.
- The ship management company of the M/T Al Dasma, which remains in close contact with authorities monitoring the situation.
This attack occurred amidst a series of regional commercial shipping incidents in the Gulf. Just days earlier on October 16, a crude oil tanker MT ST 3, carrying 15 Indian seafarers, was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. All Indian nationals were safe, and no casualties were reported, Sonowal had said.
How is New Delhi Responding to the Security Crisis?
India has repeatedly condemned attacks on maritime navigation and commercial shipping. New Delhi has reiterated that all attacks on commercial shipping and merchant mariners are legally and morally indefensible, while highlighting the need for freedom of navigation and the safe and unimpeded flow of maritime commerce through international waterways.
While the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways coordinates through channels with ship management firms, authorities are continuously monitoring the situation and remain in close contact with the ship management company to ensure the ongoing security and wellbeing of our seafarers.
What Timeline Defined the Threat in the Strait of Hormuz?
- October 16: Crude oil tanker MT ST 3, carrying 15 Indian seafarers, is struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, with all Indian nationals reported safe and no casualties reported.
- October 21 (local time): Kuwait-flagged oil product tanker M/T Al Dasma, carrying 21 Indian seafarers, is struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a fire that was later extinguished while the vessel subsequently anchored.
- October 22: The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) tracked the strike at 11 nautical miles west of Bukha, Oman.
For readers, investors, and families tracking loved ones at sea, the events underscore an elevated risk profile for commercial transits through the Gulf. Observers should monitor updates from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways for further security advisories regarding regional vessel movements.
Updated 1 time since publication; last update 22 October 2026, 06:33.
