India on Tuesday summoned an Iranian diplomat to register a “strong protest” after an Indian sailor was killed in attacks on two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
The attacks took place when the tankers were transiting the southern shipping lane of the strait, within Omani territorial waters, the United Arab Emirates said. The attacks also damaged the ships and resulted in fires on board.
The Emirati Ministry of Defence did not specify when the attacks took place.
On Tuesday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said that the two vessels – Mombasa and Al Bahiyah – had a combined crew of 46, including 30 Indian seafarers.
Of the 12 Indians on board Al Bahiyah, one was killed and another was injured. Of the 18 Indian citizens on board MT Mombasa, nine were injured, including two who were seriously hurt, the external affairs ministry said.
The ministry said its diplomatic mission in the United Arab Emirates was in contact with the Emirati authorities to provide assistance to the Indian seafarers who had been affected.
It added that Mohammad Javad Hosseini, Iran’s deputy chief of mission in Delhi, was summoned on Tuesday and a “strong protest” over the attacks was conveyed.
“We strongly condemn these attacks and acts of violence targeting seafarers and disrupting free and safe navigation…
