India Says Two Seafarers Missing After Strait of Hormuz Vessel Attacks

India has condemned attacks on two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz region after two Indian seafarers were reported missing from MT PETRO DOLPHIN. The Ministry of External Affairs said another vessel, MT VALTHERA, was also struck, while its 11 Indian crew members were reported safe.

Key points

• Two Indian seafarers are reported missing from MT PETRO DOLPHIN after a drone strike.
• India says the remaining nine PETRO DOLPHIN crew were rescued, while all 11 Indians aboard MT VALTHERA are reported safe.
• The Indian Embassy in Muscat is coordinating with Omani authorities and ship managers as search-and-rescue efforts continue.

Context

Indian Express reported that MT PETRO DOLPHIN, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was struck by a drone on October 11 and that two crew members remained unaccounted for. In a separate incident, the Marshall Islands-flagged MT VALTHERA was hit by an unidentified projectile and caught fire; all 11 Indian seafarers aboard that vessel were reported safe.

Hindustan Times and Times of India also reported the MEA statement, which condemned attacks on commercial shipping and called for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and safe navigation. Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was reported as saying the nine other PETRO DOLPHIN crew members had been rescued and that local search-and-rescue operations were under way for the two missing Indians.

Why it matters

The immediate issue is the safety of the missing seafarers, not speculation about responsibility beyond what authorities have established. Repeated attacks on merchant vessels also raise risks for Indian crews working in international shipping lanes. Until rescue agencies or the Indian government issue a further update, the two crew members should be described as missing, not presumed dead or injured.

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Sources and image credit

Sources checked October 12, 2026: Indian Express, October 12; Hindustan Times, October 12; Times of India, October 12.

Archival photograph: South Block, New Delhi, 6 June 2018. Photo: Ginevrajocosa88 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Original file page. It is not a photograph of either vessel or the Strait of Hormuz incident.

AI-assisted original report based on the linked reporting and attributed government statement; casualty status is not inferred beyond confirmed information.