DUBAI, (Reuters) – The 16-strong crew of a Comoros-flagged oil tanker that capsized off Oman are still missing, the country’s maritime security centre, a day after the sinking was reported.
Omani centre
The crew of “Prestige Falcon” comprised 13 Indian nationals and three Sri Lankans, the Omani centre said in a post on the social media platform X.
“submerged, inverted”
Separately, the centre told Reuters that the vessel remains “submerged, inverted”. It did not confirm whether the vessel had stabilised or whether oil or oil products were leaking into the sea.
Shipping data by LSEG had shown the tanker was heading to the Yemeni port of Aden and capsized off Oman’s major industrial port of Duqm.
Oil products tanker
The vessel is a 117-metre long oil products tanker , the shipping data showed. Such small tankers are typically used for short coastal voyages.
Omani authorities conducted a search-and-rescue operation at the scene in coordination with maritime authorities, Oman’s state news agency reported late on Monday.
Victims of accidents or piracy.
The port of Duqm is located on Oman’s southwest coast, close to the sultanate’s major oil and gas mining projects, including a major oil refinery that forms part of Duqm’s vast industrial zone, Oman’s biggest single economic project.
Indians form a majority of global maritime workforce and they are often the victims of accidents or piracy.
MSC Aries
On the other hand Seventeen Indian crew members of the MSC Aries, a commercial ship with links to Israel, were stuck when Iranian troops seized the vessel in April. They were released after negotiations between India and Iran.In 2022, 16 Indian crew members of a ship were held in the custody of Equatorial Guinea’s navy for nine months.
PRESTIGE FALCON
It is noteworthy The current position of PRESTIGE FALCON is at Arabian Sea reported 7 days ago by AIS. The vessel is en route to the port of Aden, Yemen, sailing at a speed of 8.3 knots and expected to arrive there on Jul 18, 18:00. The vessel PRESTIGE FALCON (IMO 9533218, MMSI 620999553) is a Oil Products Tanker built in 2007 (17 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Comoros.
https://www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=9533218
Reporting by Catherine Cartier, Jonathan Saul, Andrew Mills and Ahmed Elimam; Writing by Andrew Mills and Nadine Awadalla; Editing by Gareth Jones
