Three ships hit in the Gulf in two days: all 35 Indian seafarers safe as LNG carrier Al Mayeda struck by projectile

All 35 Indian seafarers aboard three ships hit around the Strait of Hormuz in the past few days are safe, India's government said. The latest vessel named is the Al Mayeda, a Marshall Islands-flagged liquefied natural gas carrier struck by a projectile in the Gulf on Friday, October 30.

Sarbananda Sonowal, India's minister for ports, shipping and waterways, said the six Indians on board and the rest of the 25-member crew were all unharmed. He said India remains in close contact with the company that manages the ship.

The three ships, side by side

Two days, three ships and three different types of cargo route: the attacks cover both the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf.

Date	Vessel	Type and flag	Where	Indian crew
October 29	MT Arzanah	Very large crude carrier, Liberia	Strait of Hormuz	2
October 30	MT Louise 1	Crude tanker, Panama	Strait of Hormuz	27
October 30	M/T Al Mayeda	LNG carrier, Marshall Islands	Persian Gulf	6
Total				35

No injuries have been reported among the Indian crews on any of the three ships.

What is known about the attack on Louise 1

Of the three, the Louise 1 is the best documented. The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre said a tanker was attacked about 25 nautical miles north-east of Khasab, Oman, that the fire on board was put out, and that the crew was safe with no environmental damage.

Maritime security sources said two limpet mines were attached to the hull from a small boat, starting a fire in the engine room and disabling the ship for a time. Limpet mines had not been confirmed in those waters since the war began in February. Indian officials have also referred to limpet-mine damage, though no government has published findings.

No one has been established as responsible for any of the three attacks. Separately, Iran's Revolutionary Guards say several tankers using a southern route they call unauthorised struck naval mines on October 29 and 30, a claim that has not been independently verified. US Central Command insists the main shipping lanes have been cleared of mines.

India's losses in this war

The crew on these three ships were lucky. Others have not been. Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India's Ministry of External Affairs, said 22 Indian nationals have died in the conflict in West Asia, including 14 seafarers.

The most recent fatal case involving an Indian crew member that has been reported came on September 23, when the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier MV Cape Dao was hit by a missile near Oman on its way from Mina Saqr to India. One Indian seafarer died. The ship had 28 crew, 20 of them Indian.

India supplies a large share of the world's merchant sailors, and many South Asian crews, including from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, work the Gulf routes. Each new attack raises the risk for those families.

What the attacks could mean for fuel and fares

October was the worst month for ship attacks since the war started, with more than 30 incidents. An attack on an LNG carrier is especially sensitive for South Asia, because India, Pakistan and Bangladesh all buy gas shipped from the Gulf for power plants and fertiliser factories.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar raised the issue with counterparts at the G20 meeting in Atlanta, saying attacks on civilian ships and crews threaten the supply and cost of fuel, food and fertiliser for developing countries.

The Indian government says it is still monitoring the situation and working with the ship managers. Maritime security investigations into all three incidents continue, and no official finding on who carried them out has been announced.