'Please Help! Hole At Bottom, Ship Is Sinking...': Indian Crew Sends Distress Call After US Missile Attack

A distress call from Indian-crewed oil tanker seeking "immediate help" surfaced online after it was struck by a US missile off the coast of Oman, leaving the vessel on fire and taking on water. The Palau-flagged tanker, which was black-listed and sanctioned by the United States, was hit by a missile after it tried to evade the American blockade of Iranian ports. All 24 Indian crew members were later rescued by the Omani military.In the audio recording, an Indian crew member can be heard urgently appealing for assistance, saying: "Sir, this is motor tanker Marivex, we have fire on board and vessel is sinking.""US Navy attack, the missile on our engine room. We have fire on board. We have hole at the bottom and the vessel is sinking. Please help,

please help. 24 crew...All crew Indian. Please help quickly, we need immediate help," the crew member said in distress call to authorities.

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Ship Hit By US Missile, All 24 Indian Crew Rescued

The Palau-flagged MT Marivex was operating near the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz when it was hit by a projectile off the Omani coast. Following the attack, a fire broke out onboard, prompting the crew to issue a distress call.The entire crew was later rescued in a helicopter operation conducted by the Omani military in coordination with Indian maritime rescue authorities. All 24 Indian sailors rescued safely and no casualties were reported.The information regarding the missile attack on MT Marivex was received by Indian Coast Guard's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai, following which it immediately established communication with the Oman Maritime Search and Rescue Centre (OMSC) to monitor the situation and ensure the safety of the crew.A Royal Air Force of Oman helicopter then reportedly took off from an air base on Masirah Island and reached Marivex's location.

US Confirms Attacking Ship With Indian Crew

Conforming the attack, US forces disabled an unladen oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel violated the ongoing blockade against Iran by attempting to sail to an Iranian port."US Central Command (CENTCOM) disabled Palau-flagged M/T Marivex as it transited international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran. An F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) fired a precision munition into the ship's engineering and steering spaces after the crew failed to comply with directions from US forces. Marivex is no longer sailing to Iran," CENTCOM said in a statement.