13 Indians Among 16 Missing Crew of Comoros-Flagged Oil Tanker That Capsized Off Oman Coast

An oil tanker, Prestige Falcon, capsized off Oman, causing the disappearance of 16 crew members including 13 Indians.

Representational Image | The Prestige Falcon had departed from the port of Hamriya in Dubai and was heading towards Aden

Source : PTI

An oil tanker named Prestige Falcon, flagged under Comoros, capsized off the coast of Oman, leading to the disappearance of all 16 crew members on board. The vessel, which included 13 Indian and three Sri Lankan crew members, was en route to the Yemeni port city of Aden when the mishap occurred. The Maritime Security Centre (MSC) of Oman, managed by the Omani Defence Ministry, reported the incident.

Updates regarding the recent capsizing incident of the Comoros flagged oil tanker southeast of Ras Madrakah pic.twitter.com/PxVLxlTQGD

— مركز الأمن البحري| MARITIME SECURITY CENTRE (@OMAN_MSC) July 16, 2024

In a prior statement on social media platform X, the MSC revealed that the tanker capsized 25 nautical miles southeast of Ras Madrakah, close to the port town of Duqm. "Search and rescue operations have been initiated with the relevant authorities," the MSC stated, without providing specific details on the cause of the incident.

Prestige Falcon Capsized 

Shipping data from LSEG revealed that the Prestige Falcon is a 117-metre long oil products tanker built in 2007, typically used for short coastal voyages, news agency Reuters reported.

Omani authorities swiftly launched a search-and-rescue operation in coordination with maritime authorities following the incident. Oman's state news agency reported late on Monday that the operation was ongoing at the scene near Duqm, situated on Oman's southwest coast. Duqm is known for its significant oil and gas mining projects, including a major refinery, marking it as Oman's largest economic venture.

According to shipping website MarineTraffic.com, the Prestige Falcon had departed from the port of Hamriya in Dubai and was heading towards Aden, CBS News reported. Aden remains a significant stronghold for Yemen's internationally recognised government, which has been embroiled in a civil war against the Iran-backed Houthi rebel movement since 2014.