The attack on MV Cape Dao, which was sailing toward India, occurred in international waters near the Omani coast, according to statements from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Omani Royal Navy.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal identified the deceased as 22‑year‑old Suraj Yadav, a wiper from Deoria, Uttar Pradesh, who succumbed to head injuries sustained in the strike.
Of the 20 Indian seafarers aboard, 19 were rescued by Omani naval forces and taken ashore, while the remaining eight crew members, whose nationalities were not disclosed, were also evacuated safely.
India’s external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned the incident, calling for an end to the targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure in the region and urging dialogue to de‑escalate tensions.
The Indian Embassy in Oman confirmed it was monitoring the situation and coordinating with Omani authorities to repatriate the surviving crew, pledging full support to the family of the deceased.
The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) said the vessel was hit by two torpedoes—one on the port side C‑deck accommodation area and another on the port side hull near the engine room— and demanded accountability and safe passage for Indian seafarers in the Hormuz corridor.
The incident adds to a series of recent attacks on commercial vessels transiting the strategic Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about maritime security and the safety of civilian shipping in the region.