An Indian crew member died after a US-owned oil tanker, Safesea Vishnu, came under attack by Iran near Basra in Iraq on Wednesday. Iran's 'suicide boat' struck the US-owned oil tanker, which was targeted off the Khor Al Zubair port within Iraq’s territorial waters.
The Indian Embassy in Iraq confirmed the death and said that the rest of the Indian crew members on board have since been evacuated and moved to safety.
"The remaining 15 Indian crew have since been evacuated to a safe place," said the Indian Embassy in Baghdad.
US-owned tanker SafeSea Vishnu attacked near Iraq by Iran overnight.
— Diwakar|दिवाकर|દિવાકર|திவாகர் (@TSKUPid) March 12, 2026
Initial reports indicate one Indian casualty. Official details still awaited.
A worrying escalation in the region.pic.twitter.com/gHlQnuFZmE
After coming under attack in Iraq's territorial waters, another oil tanker was also caught ablaze in the Persian Gulf.
The embassy said it is in regular contact with Iraqi authorities, rescued Indian sailors and is offering all possible assistance to them.
On March 11, 2026, a US-owned crude oil tanker Safesea Vishnu, sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, was attacked near Basra, Iraq, in which one Indian crew member unfortunately lost his life. The remaining 15 Indian crew have since been evacuated to a safe place. Embassy of…
— India In Iraq (@EI_Baghdad) March 12, 2026
The ships that were attacked were the Maltese-flagged Zefyros and the Marshallese-flagged Safesea Vishnu. Safesea Vishnu is owned by the US-based company Safesea Transport Inc., while Zefyros' owner is based in Greece.
According to sources, the company was "devastated" by the loss and urged the Indian government to strongly condemn the attack and take urgent measures to ensure the safety of crew members in the region amid West Asia tensions.
It also noted that since Indians make up over 15 per cent of the world's seafarers, there could be "collateral damage" in any similar attacks, regardless of the target.
At least three commercial vessels have been hit by "unknown projectiles" in the Strait of Hormuz, the world's busiest oil shipping route.
Earlier, Iran said that it would "set fire" to any ships trying to pass through the Strait through which about 20 per cent of the world's oil usually passes.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that two Indian nationals were confirmed dead and one is still missing in the ongoing Middle East war.
"The incidents of death and the missing person occurred when they were on merchant vessels that came under attack," Jaiswal said.
