(Representative image): The Indian nationals were aboard MT Kazimah III, which was hit while sailing through the strategic waterway. The embassy coordinated their rescue and said all five had been safely shifted ashore.

Five Indian nationals aboard a Kuwait-flagged crude oil tanker were safely rescued after the vessel was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, the Indian embassy in Oman said on Friday. The Indian nationals were aboard MT Kazimah III, which was hit while sailing through the strategic waterway.

“Earlier today, the Mission coordinated rescue of five Indian nationals on board the Kuwait-flagged tanker MT Kazimah III, struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. All 5 Indian nationals have been shifted ashore safely.

The embassy thanked Omani authorities for their support during the rescue operation. MT Kazimah III is a crude oil tanker sailing under the Kuwaiti flag and was en route to the port of Lomé in Togo when it was struck.

The incident comes as India steps up efforts to monitor the safety of its seafarers amid heightened security risks in the Persian Gulf and other major shipping routes. Earlier on Tuesday, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that more than 4,500 Indian seafarers were aboard commercial vessels operating in the region.

“At this point, we have six India-flagged commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf. We also have six foreign-flagged vessels which are carrying cargo to India.

So 12 ships are there. “Apart from this, we also have over 4,500 Indian seafarers who are on board various commercial vessels which are operating in the area,” he added.

“On our side, we remain committed to the safety and well-being of our seafaring community abroad,” Jaiswal said. The incident comes amid growing risks to commercial shipping across the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and Black Sea, where vessels have faced repeated attacks.

“New challenges in the maritime domain have added to longstanding ones on land. There have been attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers in the Gulf and from the Red Sea to the Black Sea.

Indian seafarers have lost their lives, as have others from other nations. This is completely unacceptable,” Jaishankar told the UN assembly.

“We must ensure that the safety and security of shipping and seafarers is never compromised. Scrupulously observing international law is an integral element of that endeavour,” Jaishankar urged.