New Delhi: All 22 Indian seafarers onboard Panama-flagged crude oil tanker MT GEM NO. 2 were safe after the vessel was subjected to a drone attack at Sharjah
Anchorage on October 9, said Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The Union Minister, in an X post, said the government is monitoring the situation continuously. Sonowal further informed the ship management company to ensure the security and well-being of the Indian crew. "On Oct 9, Panama-flagged crude oil tanker MT GEM NO. 2, carrying a crew of 22 Indian nationals, was subjected to a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage. I am relieved to share that all 22 of our Indian seafarers onboard are reported to be completely safe," he said. "We are continuously monitoring the situation and in contact with the ship management company to ensure security and wellbeing of our seafarers," the union minister added.
Sharjah Anchorage is located in the Arabian Gulf in the Dubai area of the United Arab Emirates, according to MarineTraffic.
The incident comes against the backdrop of repeated attacks on commercial ships and seafarers in the Gulf region and the Black Sea, prompting India and other nations to push for greater international cooperation to protect maritime trade and crew safety.
On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted the objectives of the newly formed Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers (GoF on S4), an initiative aimed at bringing maritime stakeholders together to strengthen international cooperation and place the safety of seafarers and commercial shipping at the centre of global discussions.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the group seeks to coordinate countries involved in commercial shipping and the maritime industry, as well as those with significant seafaring communities.
"The idea is to get them together so that we can bring the issue of safety of seafarers and the issue of safety of commercial shipping at the centre of global discourse and discussion, and we can enhance international cooperation so as to ensure that commercial shipping is not impacted, they are not attacked, and the seafarers are safe and secure," Jaiswal said.
He said the group's first meeting was held in New York, co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Liberian Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, with 25 countries participating.
