India on Sunday, July 12, strongly condemned the attack on the commercial vessel GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz near the Oman coast. Out of the 11 Indian seafarers on board, 10 have been rescued, while one remains missing. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Indian Embassy is closely tracking the situation and coordinating with Omani authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operation.
“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman, earlier today. Of the 11 Indian nationals on board, 10 have been rescued so far, while 1 Indian National is reportedly missing. Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing Search and Rescue operation. We thank the Omani authorities for their support,” the MEA said.
India calls for immediate de-escalation
The Indian government also expressed concern over the continued attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, calling them “deeply worrisome.” New Delhi urged all sides to immediately de-escalate conflicts and seek a diplomatic solution to restore peace.
“The continuing incidents of attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply worrisome. We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region. The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest,” the official statement read.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is closed after attack
The attack comes amid an escalation in tensions between Iran and the United States, with the former announcing that the Strait of Hormuz had been closed “until further notice” following its Revolutionary Guards firing on a Cyprus-flagged container ship. The vessel was allegedly travelling through an “unauthorised route” in the crucial international waterway.
The IRGC said several ships had ignored their repeated warnings and guidelines to proceed through an approved shipping corridor. They described the firing as a “warning shot” that forced one vessel to stop before the closure was announced.
The United States, however, called the incident a direct attack on a civilian commercial vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the Cyprus-flagged container ship suffered engine room damage after being struck and that one crew member went missing.
