Splash 247 — 2026-10-11
Maritime and Ports
Attacks on commercial shipping are spreading across the Gulf region, with two Indian seafarers missing after a drone struck a tanker off Oman on Sunday and another tanker hit by a projectile while exiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The Nicaragua-flagged Petro Dolphin was attacked at Sohar Anchorage on Sunday. India’s minister for ports, shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, confirmed that nine of the 11 Indian crew had been rescued, while two remained missing. Omani authorities have launched a search and rescue operation.
UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed the drone attack, initially reporting the incident as suspicious activity before reclassifying it following confirmation that the vessel had been struck by an unmanned aerial vehicle.
Separately, the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Valthera came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, with an unidentified projectile causing a fire onboard. Sonowal confirmed all 11 Indian crew members were safe.
UKMTO reported an outbound tanker struck on its port side on Sunday, with no pollution reported. The agency had recorded another tanker strike in the strait on Saturday evening, also involving a projectile and onboard fire.
The latest violence follows Friday’s attack on the Panama-flagged, 302,000 dwt Gem No.2, struck around 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazeera, UAE.
Maritime security firm Vanguard identified the vessel, which is managed in Taiwan and linked to U-Ming Marine Transport. Sonowal confirmed that all 22 Indian seafarers onboard were safe. A fire was extinguished, although the extent of damage remains unclear.
Another tanker was struck off Qatar last week as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned they would pursue ships taking unauthorised routes anywhere in the region, rather than just inside Hormuz.
The guards have also claimed attacks on the Vietnamese LPG carrier NV Sunshine and a VLCC allegedly damaged by a naval mine. Neither claim has been independently verified.
Meanwhile, US forces struck the Panama-flagged bulker Ocean Molica, also known as Arika Sun, in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday, disabling its propulsion after it allegedly ignored warnings under Washington’s blockade of Iranian ports. No injuries were reported.