India Responds To Firing On Ships In Hormuz: 'Seafarers Reported Safe'

New Delhi: India on Thursday responded to reports of firing on foreign-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, saying it is closely monitoring the situation and that all Indian nationals on board affected ships are safe. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said a few foreign-owned ships had come under fire and authorities were assessing the developments. He noted that some Indian crew members were on board these vessels.Echoing the government’s position, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Mukesh Mangal said that while no Indian-flagged vessel was targeted, concerns remained for Indian seafarers working on foreign ships in the region.“In the past 24 hours, there were certain incidents of firing on foreign-flagged vessels. None

of the Indian seafarers has been injured,” he said, adding that all Indian crew members on board the vessels involved were safe.Mangal cited the example of the vessel Euphoria, which had 21 Indian seafarers, all of whom are safe. Another vessel, Epaminondas, had one Indian national on board, who is also safe. The government said it continues to keep a close watch on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route, amid heightened regional tensions.Two ships came under attack on Wednesday in the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks came hours after United States Donald Trump indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Iran. The attacks could complicate efforts to bring the United States and Iran together in Pakistan for the second round of talks to end the war.The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre did not immediately identify who shot at the second ship. However, suspicion immediately fell on Iran, whose paramilitary Revolutionary Guard as the cargo ship said it had been fired upon and was stopped in the water. It said there was no reported damage to the vessel.