Strait of Hormuz Attack Leaves 12 Seafarers Injured as Tanker Fire Rages
Oman’s air force evacuated 10 crew members from the Panama-flagged On Peace.
A projectile attack on the Panama-flagged tanker On Peace in the Strait of Hormuz left 12 of its 19 crew members injured and sparked a fire on board, Oman’s Ministry of Defence confirmed on Tuesday.
Oman’s air force swiftly evacuated 10 of the injured crew members to Khasab Hospital in Musandam for treatment. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the assault on the On Peace.
(Eliminar como nombre propio o título destacado): strait of hormuz
Of the 12 injured crew members, 11 were Indian nationals, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
Brent Crude
India has been vocal in its condemnation of the escalating attacks. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs called for an immediate halt to strikes on commercial vessels, declaring: “Attacks on commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must stop, and navigation and commerce through international waterways must be restored at the earliest.” The statement follows a grim tally of Indian casualties in the region, with at least 10 Indian seafarers killed since the US-Iran war began in late February.
Recent months have seen a sharp rise in attacks targeting vessels linked to Indian crews. July, Iranian cruise missiles struck two UAE-linked tankers, MT Mombasa and MT Al Bahiyah, in Omani territorial waters. The assault killed Indian crew member Rohan Kumar and injured 10 other Indian nationals. September 23 23, another Indian sailor, Suraj Yadav, was killed when the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship MV Cape Dao came under attack.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy supplies, has become a flashpoint in the ongoing US-Iran conflict. The latest strike follows a series of assaults on commercial ships, including the LNG carrier Maran Gas Mystras on October 5 and the LPG carrier Vela Gas on October 4.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported multiple incidents, including an attack on an unnamed tanker on October 5 as it transited outbound through the strait. The VLCCs Cameroon Prosperity and Ghana Prosperity were also struck by unknown projectiles on October 3 and 4, respectively. Despite the escalating violence, crude oil shipments through the waterway have remained resilient, with data from Kpler showing a seven-day average of 18.3 million barrels per day (bpd) as of September 30, nearly matching pre-war levels of 18 million bpd.
The economic ripple effects of the attacks are already visible in global oil markets. Brent crude futures reached $101.51 a barrel on October 6, a sharp increase from the $72.48 a barrel recorded on February 27, the day before the war began. Analysts warn that further disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could send prices soaring, with potential consequences for fuel costs worldwide.
In a statement, NUSI General Secretary Abdulgani Serang warned that the attacks could deter Indian seafarers from taking up contracts in the region, exacerbating crew shortages in an already strained global shipping industry. “The safety of our seafarers is non-negotiable,” Serang said, urging the Indian government to press for international action to secure the waterway.
As tensions in the region show no signs of abating, the On Peace attack serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities facing commercial shipping in one of the world’s most strategically vital chokepoints. With no group claiming responsibility and no immediate diplomatic breakthrough in sight, the Strait of Hormuz remains a tinderbox, where a single strike can send shockwaves through global energy markets and endanger the lives of thousands of seafarers.
Sign up free to ask CAMAL AI for a summary, the key points or anything else about this story.
Related stories
CAMAL AI
Financial Ports Newsletter
The maritime economy, every morning
Ports, shipping and freight markets in one short email. Free.
