Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that tanker MT PETRO DOLPHIN, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage. (AP/File)India on Monday condemned attacks on two ships with Indians on board in the Strait of Hormuz, in which two Indian seafarers were missing.“We condemn the attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz region on 11 October 2026. MT PETRO DOLPHIN was reportedly struck by a drone, with two of the 11 Indian seafarers onboard reported missing. MT VALTHERA, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, was struck by an unknown projectile, resulting in a fire onboard. All 11 Indian seafarers onboard MT VALTHERA are reported to be safe,” it said.It said that the Embassy of India in Muscat is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the Omani authorities and respective ship management companies for the rescue of missing Indians and to provide all possible assistance to the Indian crew.“The safety and security of Indian seafarers remain a priority for the Government of India.The recurring attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply concerning and risk further aggravating an already volatile situation,” it said.It also said that “India reiterates the need for immediate de-escalation and a resolution to the ongoing conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. Attacks on commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must cease. Freedom of navigation and the safe, unimpeded flow of maritime commerce through international waterways, in accordance with international law, must be upheld.”Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that tanker MT PETRO DOLPHIN, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage.In a social media post on X, Sonowal said that while nine Indian crew members had been successfully rescued and were safe, two Indian nationals remained missing.Story continues below this adHe further said search-and-rescue operations were actively underway by the local Coast Guard.“We are continuously coordinating with all relevant authorities to fully support the ongoing rescue efforts and ensure every possible action is taken to safely locate our missing personnel,” Sonowal said.Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor at The Indian Express, has been a journalist for more than 27 years now. Roy joined The Indian Express in October 2003 and has been reporting and writing explainers and analysis on foreign affairs for about 19 years now. Based in Delhi, he has also led the National government and political bureau at The Indian Express in Delhi — a team of reporters who cover the national government and politics for the newspaper. He has got the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award for Excellence in Journalism ‘2016. He got this award for his coverage of the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and its aftermath. He won the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award, 2023, for the second time for his reporting of the Oct 7 attacks on Israel and the war in Gaza. He also got the IIMCAA Award for the Journalist of the Year, 2022, (Jury’s special mention) for his coverage of the fall of Kabul in August 2021 — he was one of the few Indian journalists in Kabul and the only mainstream newspaper to have covered the Taliban’s capture of power in mid-August, 2021. ... Read More Tags:Strait of Hormuz