Oil Tanker Targeted North-West Port Sultan Qaboos

Oil
Tanker Targeted North-West Port Sultan Qaboos

Muscat,
2 Mar 2026 (ONA) — The oil tanker MKD VYOM, flagged to the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, was attacked by an unmanned surface vessel (USV)
approximately 52 nautical miles off the coast of the Sultanate of Oman.

The
vessel was carrying an estimated 59,463 metric tons of cargo. The attack
triggered a fire and explosion within the main engine room, resulting in the
fatality of one crew member of Indian nationality.

In
coordination with the Maritime Security Center, the tanker’s complement of 21
crew members—16 Indian nationals, four Bangladeshi nationals, and one Ukrainian
national—was evacuated via the commercial vessel MV SAND, which flies the flag
of the Republic of Panama. Simultaneously, a vessel from the Royal Navy of Oman
is monitoring the condition of the stricken tanker and issuing the necessary
navigational warnings to vessels transiting the same maritime zone.

—Ends/AG