ISTANBUL

Oman said Monday that an oil tanker was targeted northwest of the Sultan Qaboos Port and its crew evacuated after a fire erupted.

The Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MKD VYOM "was attacked by a remotely operated boat" around 52 nautical miles off the coast of the Muscat Governorate, the Maritime Security Center said on US social media company X.

The tanker was carrying around 59,463 metric tons of cargo, it stated, adding that the attack caused a fire and an explosion in the main engine room, killing one crew member of Indian nationality.

“The Embassy of India expresses its deepest condolences on the tragic demise of an Indian national on board MKD Vyom,” a statement from the Indian Embassy in Oman said on X.

The Maritime Security Center added: “The embassy is in close coordination with the local authorities in Oman to facilitate the safe and early repatriation of our nationals on board the vessel.”

In coordination with the center, “the tanker’s crew of 21 people—including 16 Indians, 4 Bangladeshis, and one Ukrainian—was evacuated by the commercial vessel (MV SAND), flying the flag of Panama," it added.

Meanwhile, a ship from Oman's Royal Navy is examining the damaged tanker and issuing safety warnings to other vessels navigating the area, it added.

The development came as the US and Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran on Saturday, killing several top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In response, Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Gulf countries which are home to US assets.