New Delhi:
A co-owner of the ship that was attacked off the coast of Oman in the early hours of Wednesday has called for a transparent investigation and pointed out that such incidents concern the safety and protection of Indian-flagged vessels and Indian seafarers.
The MSV Haji Ali was attacked days after an Indian sailor on another Indian-flagged ship, the MSV Al Faiz Noor-e Suleimani, was killed after the vessel was caught in crossfire near the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to NDTV on Friday, Rohan Joshi, the co-owner of MSV Haji Ali, said, “I am the owner of the ship carrying registration number BDI 1492, which unfortunately got hit with a targeted aerial strike, resulting in the destruction of an Indian-flagged vessel, which is the second tragedy after MSV Noor-e Suleimani. The Haji Ali was engaged in lawful civilian maritime trade carrying livestock cargo from Somalia to the UAE.”
Joshi said the strike led to a fire and, eventually, a total loss of the vessel. All 14 Indian crew members survived and were rescued by the coast guard in Oman. It is still not clear who was behind the attack.
“At this stage, our primary demand is not to make allegations but to seek a proper and transparent investigation into what exactly happened. This was an Indian-flagged civilian vessel operating on a normal commercial route in Gulf waters. It is therefore extremely important that the Government of India conducts and pursues a serious diplomatic and maritime inquiry into this incident,” he emphasised.
The ship owner also urged the Centre to coordinate with authorities in Oman and the UAE to preserve radar reports, maritime logs, rescue reports, satellite data and other evidence that may help establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
‘Livelihoods Devastated’
The incident, Joshi said, has devastated the livelihoods of several Indians connected with the trade.
“This matter is not only about one vessel. It concerns the safety and protection of Indian-flagged civilian ships and Indian seafarers operating in international waters and Gulf trade routes. We respectfully request a formal investigation, diplomatic intervention, preservation of evidence and assistance for the affected Indian crew members and vessel owners. We have already submitted a representation to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Directorate General of Shipping and hope the matter receives urgent attention,” he added.
India Reaction
The Ministry of External Affairs, on Thursday, described the attack as unacceptable.
“The attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman yesterday is unacceptable, and we deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted. All Indian crew on board are safe, and we thank the Omani authorities for rescuing them,” it said.