Indian warship rescues eight Indians one Lankan crew of capsized oil tanker off Oman coast

NEW DELHI: Indian Navy's mission deployed warship INS Teg, rendering rescued nine crew members, including eight Indians, who were on an oil tanker that capsized off Oman coast on July 15, the Indian Navy said on Wednesday.

The nine rescued crew members included eight Indians and one Sri Lankan national.

"9 crew members from MV Falcon Prestige (8 Indians and 1 Sri Lankan) have been recovered alive during the search and rescue operations. The search and rescue operations to find the remaining crew members will continue in the area," the Indian Navy said.

The MV had capsized about 25 nautical miles southeast of Ras Madrakah, Oman, on July 15 and search and rescue efforts in coordination with Oman authorities have been in progress since July 16.

The MV is reported to have had a total of 16 crew members, including 13 Indians and three Sri Lankans.

The search and rescue of Indian and Omani assets is being undertaken in challenging weather conditions as the area is experiencing rough seas and strong winds. The Indian Navy's Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft P8I is also assisting in the search for survivors, the Indian Navy stated.

The Indian Embassy in Oman has said it is in constant touch with the Omani authorities.

Giving the latest update on the rescue effort, the Indian Embassy in Oman also posted on X, "Embassy is coordinating SAR operations with Omani authorities and the Indian Navy for MT Prestige Falcon, a Comoros-flagged vessel that capsized off the coast of Oman on July 15th."

"9 crew including 8 Indians have been rescued today by INS Teg. The search for the remaining survivors continues," it added.