Indian Govt is worried as Indian seafarer among crew of ship captured by Iran

NEW DELHI : One Indian seafarer was among the crew of a vessel which was detained by Iran amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns within the government over the safety of Indian crew members following reports of ships coming under fire in the region.

Amid escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, the Government of India has expressed concern over the safety of Indian seafarers following recent maritime incidents involving vessels in the region.

Officials confirmed that two of the three foreign commercial vessels targeted by Iranian forces on Wednesday had Indian crew members on board. A total of 22 Indian seafarers were present across the two ships, and all have been reported safe.

One Indian national was among the 21-member crew of Epaminondas, a Panama-flagged container vessel en route to India. Authorities have established contact with the individual and confirmed his safety. The third vessel, Euphoria, also Panama-flagged, had 21 Indian seafarers on board, all of whom remain unharmed. No Indian nationals were present on the vessel Francesca.

According to officials, Epaminondas and Francesca were located on the western side of the Persian Gulf, while Euphoria had moved east of the strait. Iranian authorities stated that the vessels were intercepted for allegedly violating transit regulations or ignoring official warnings. However, a maritime security firm indicated that at least one of the ships had prior clearance to transit the waterway.

The developments follow reports of a separate incident in the Sea of Oman, where an Iranian commercial vessel was reportedly seized by the United States. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accused the U.S. of breaching a ceasefire and engaging in what it described as “armed piracy,” alleging that American forces fired upon the vessel and disabled its navigation systems.

Heightened tensions in the region, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz—a critical global oil transit route—have contributed to increased volatility in international energy markets.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways stated that it is closely monitoring the situation and remains concerned about Indian seafarers operating in the area. It reiterated that no Indian nationals have been injured in the recent incidents.

Since the onset of the Iran-related conflict on February 28, the government has facilitated the evacuation of at least 2,680 Indian seafarers.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said confirmed that 10 Indian vessels have safely transited the Strait of Hormuz over the past week, while 14 Indian ships remain in the Persian Gulf amid ongoing maritime tensions.