Tehran, Mar 14: An Indian-flagged ship has safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz despite the US military strike on Iran.
One of the 28 Indian-flagged ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing war in Iran has safely sailed back to India, a senior official said on Friday.
The Indian oil tanker Jag Prakash, which was carrying gasoline from Oman to Africa, has left the eastern part of the strait. The ship is heading to Tonga in Tanzania and is expected to arrive on March 21, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping Rajesh Kumar Sinha told a media briefing.
Hundreds of ships are stuck in the narrow sea route between Iran and Oman after the US and Israel carried out attacks on Iran. Tehran has retaliated in the area.
Out of the 28 Indian-flagged ships, 24 are stranded in the western part of the strait in the Persian Gulf. While four remain in the eastern part, with 76 sailors on board. The total number of ships stranded in the western part of the strait is 668, Sinha said.
Around 23,000 Indian seafarers are currently working in merchant, port and offshore vessels in the wider Gulf region and the Directorate General of Shipping continues to coordinate with shipowners, RPSL agencies and Indian operations, he said.
Since the activation of the 24-hour control room, DG Shipping has handled over 2,425 calls and 4,441 emails. This has facilitated the safe return of over 223 stranded Indian seafarers.
Officials are issuing regular advisories. Seafarers are being urged to follow safety protocols, report incidents immediately and conduct enhanced ship-to-shore security drills. Sinha said port operations across India are stable.
Amid the ongoing crisis, three Indian sailors have reportedly died.
One sailor is still missing and four injured sailors have been treated and discharged. However, coordination is on to repatriate the bodies.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is closely monitoring the situation in the Persian Gulf to ensure the safety of Indian ships and crew, he said.