Indian seafarer killed after dhow catches fire, sinks near Strait of Hormuz

An Indian seafarer lost his life while four others sustained burn injuries after a wooden dhow carrying 18 Indian crew members capsized near the Strait of Hormuz following a fire onboard, official sources confirmed on Saturday.

The incident took place on Friday in the strategically sensitive Strait of Hormuz region, where tensions linked to the ongoing Iran-US conflict continue to escalate, and reports of drone activity in the area have heightened security concerns.

According to sources, the wooden dhow was transporting general cargo when the fire broke out. Authorities are still trying to determine the exact cause of the blaze that led to the vessel capsizing.

Providing details of the incident, a government source said, "A wooden dhow, carrying general cargo, with 18 Indian crew capsized yesterday close to the Strait of Hormuz after it caught fire. The exact cause of the fire is being ascertained. The crew members were rescued by a vessel which was passing by. In this incident, one Indian on the dhow died while four received burn injuries. The injured are receiving medical treatment in Dubai and are safe."

The source further stated that officials from the Indian Consulate had met the rescued Indian nationals on Friday night and were coordinating with the dhow owner while extending all possible support and assistance to the crew members and their families.

Earlier on Friday, the Consulate General of India in Dubai had also confirmed the incident through a post on X, expressing grief over the death of the Indian crew member.

"The Consulate is saddened to learn of the unfortunate incident at sea that caused the tragic death of an Indian crew member of a ship. The Consulate is in touch with the owner of the ship and is ascertaining further details. The Consulate will render all possible assistance in this matter on priority. Our deepest condolences," the Consulate stated.

The latest maritime incident comes amid worsening instability in West Asia and growing risks to commercial shipping routes in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit corridor.

The conflict in the region intensified after joint US-Israel strikes targeted Tehran on February 28, resulting in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. In response, Iran launched retaliatory attacks on Israel and on US military bases located across Gulf nations.

The hostilities have also contributed to disruptions and blockades around the Strait of Hormuz, increasing risks for commercial vessels operating in the area. Similar incidents involving attacks or threats to Indian crew members have also been reported in the past.

Indo-Asian News Service