Indian Seafarers Account For Majority Of Deaths In Hormuz Shipping Attacks

Indian Seafarers comprise the majority of casualties from the ongoing U.S-Iran war in West Asia. 7 of the 16 seafarers killed in the Hormuz ship attacks, which is almost 44%, were Indian nationals.

Three were killed in attacks by U.S forces on oil tankers MT Marivex, MT Settebello and MT Jalveer between June 8 and June 11, 2026.

Four died in an attack carried out by Iranian forces, claiming the vessels took an unauthorised route to cross the waterway, close to the coast of Oman.

Many Indian Crew Members sustained injuries and were rescued after coordination with the local authorities in Oman.

According to reports, over 180 indian seafarers were rescued after their ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.

The Haji Ali, an Indian cargo vessel, was attacked on May 13 while crossing the southern route through the Hormuz. It caught fire and sank off Oman.

The first Indian seafarer’s death was reported just a day after the war started. An indian crew member on board the tanker MKD Vyom died on March 1, when it was hit off Oman.

In 2025, Indian seafarers also constituted 18% of all seafarers abandoned by shipowners worldwide, making them the worst-impacted nationality for the 2nd consecutive year.

1,125 Indian seafarers were abandoned, of the 6,223 seafarers abandoned worldwide.

The second most affected nationality was the Filipinos, with 539 abandoned seafarers, followed by Syrians at 309. The joint IMO-ILO abandonment database currently lists 121 unresolved cases involving Indian seafarers.

As of July 15, the ITF database lists 121 unresolved cases of abandonment affecting Indian seafarers.

Indians account for 12% of the global seafarer workforce. The Indian Maritime Vision wants to touch 20% in the next 4 years; however, the risk to Indian seafarers poses a challenge that the government must address to ensure their safety at sea.