'All Crew Of MT Liaki Freedom Are Safe': MEA Refutes Reports Of Attack On 4th Vessel With Indian Seafarers
'All Crew Of MT Liaki Freedom Are Safe': MEA Refutes Reports Of Attack On 4th Vessel With Indian Seafarers Published By, Last Updated: June 13
'All Crew Of MT Liaki Freedom Are Safe': MEA Refutes Reports Of Attack On 4th Vessel With Indian Seafarers Published By, Last Updated: June 13, 2026, 09:15 IST MEA clarifies no new attack on Indian-crewed vessel Liaki Freedom near Oman, crew safe, earlier alarming reports dismissed after direct contact. MEA clarifies no new attack on Indian-crewed vessel Liaki Freedom near Oman, crew safe, earlier alarming reports dismissed after direct contact.(Reuters/Representational Image) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday dismissed reports of a fresh attack on an Indian-crewed vessel near the coast of Oman, saying the information was false. The clarification came amid reports of a fresh attack and concern over the safety of Indian sailors in the Gulf region following a series of recent attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told CNN-News18 that the government had directly contacted the master of the vessel Liaki Freedom to verify the situation.
“We have spoken with the Master of the vessel Liaki Freedom, who has confirmed that all crew members are safe and that the reported information is false," Jaiswal said. Earlier reports had claimed that the Liaki Freedom, carrying Indian crew members, had come under attack by the United States off the Omani coast. Before the MEA clarification, the Forward Seamen’s Union of India had said it was unable to establish communication with the vessel because its Very High Frequency (VHF) radio was not responding. However, the union said it was able to track the ship’s location and provided its coordinates as Latitude 24°43.85N and Longitude 56°37.52E. Attacks on Indian ships The clarification comes against the backdrop of multiple attacks on Indian-crewed tankers in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz region during June 2026. On June 10, the tanker MT Settebello was hit when US missiles struck its engine compartment.
Three Indian sailors were killed and 21 crew members were rescued. A day later, MT Jalveer came under attack after a US jet fired two missiles into its engine room. All 20 crew members were reported safe. Earlier, on June 8, the tanker Marivex was struck by a US fighter jet, triggering a fire and forcing the evacuation of the crew. The US Central Command said the vessels were violating its blockade of Iranian ports and had failed to comply with instructions. In April 2026, two Indian crude oil tankers were fired upon by the Iranian navy north of Oman. No casualties were reported, though glass in one cabin was shattered and both vessels were forced to turn back from the Strait of Hormuz. One of the vessels was the Sanmar Herald, an Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying two million barrels of Iraqi oil. Following those incidents, India lodged a strong protest with Washington and warned Iran of consequences over the attacks.
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