India on Saturday dismissed reports of a fresh attack on a merchant vessel in the Gulf region, stating that all crew members aboard MT Liaki Freedom were safe and that claims of an incident were false.
The clarification came amid heightened concern over the safety of commercial shipping in the Gulf of Oman following a series of recent attacks on merchant vessels that have claimed the lives of Indian seafarers.
A senior Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official said authorities had established contact with the vessel's master and verified the safety of everyone on board.
“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,” the official said.
The MEA's Fact Check unit also cautioned against the circulation of what it described as “false and baseless” claims on social media.
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Reports earlier in the day had suggested that contact had been lost with the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MT Liaki Freedom off the coast of Oman, triggering speculation that the vessel had become the latest target in the escalating maritime security crisis in the region.
The vessel, built in 2007, is a chemical and oil products tanker operating under the Marshall Islands flag.
The denial comes as tensions remain high in the Gulf and concerns grow in New Delhi over the safety of Indian nationals working aboard merchant ships traversing the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman.
Earlier this week, three Indian sailors were killed in an attack on a commercial vessel, prompting India to lodge a strong diplomatic protest with the United States.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar subsequently raised the issue with Marco Rubio, describing attacks on civilian shipping as unjustified.
Another merchant vessel, MT Jalveer, carrying 20 Indian crew members, was also targeted near Oman earlier this week, though all those on board were reported safe.
The recent incidents have intensified concerns over maritime security in one of the world's busiest energy and shipping corridors.
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