DRONE STRIKE TARGETS OIL TANKER OFF SHARJAH, BUT ALL 22 INDIAN SAILORS ESCAPE UNHARMED
October 10, 2026
All 22 Indian sailors aboard a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker remained safe after the vessel was targeted in a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage on October 9, Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Saturday, as concerns mounted over the growing risks facing commercial shipping in the Gulf region.
The vessel, identified as MT GEM NO. 2, was carrying an entirely Indian crew when the attack occurred. Sonowal said the government was closely monitoring the situation and maintaining contact with the ship management company to safeguard the security and wellbeing of the sailors.
The minister expressed relief that all crew members had escaped injury and stressed that the authorities were continuing to follow developments surrounding the incident. The attack has renewed attention on the safety of Indian seafarers operating aboard commercial vessels in waters affected by regional tensions.
The incident follows another attack earlier in the week involving MT On Peace, a Panama-flagged commercial vessel struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Eleven Indian crew members were reportedly injured in that incident.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack on MT On Peace, calling for an immediate cessation of assaults on commercial shipping. The ministry stressed that attacks on vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure threatened regional peace and stability.
New Delhi also called for the restoration of safe navigation and commercial movement through international waterways, emphasising that merchant vessels and civilian crews must not be exposed to continuing attacks.
The latest incident adds to concerns about maritime security in a strategically important region through which substantial volumes of international energy supplies move. For India, the safety of its seafarers remains a particular concern because Indian nationals serve aboard commercial vessels operating across major global shipping routes.
Although all 22 sailors aboard MT GEM NO. 2 were reported safe, the attack highlights the continuing vulnerability of commercial shipping to drone and projectile strikes. Indian authorities are monitoring the situation and remain in contact with the vessel’s management as efforts continue to protect Indian crews and support secure maritime operations.
