India's shipping ministry said on Monday that a fire was reported on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman with 24 Indian sailors on board, adding that all of them were safe.
Later, authorities airlifted 24 Indian sailors off a tanker on fire off the coast of Oman, New Delhi officials said, without saying what caused the blaze.
"We are thankful to the Omani authorities for their swift response and rescue of all the 24 crew members of Indian nationality, onboard MT Marivex, and ensuring their safety," the Indian embassy in Oman said in a statement on social media.
The Madagascar-flagged vessel, Marivex, was not carrying cargo, Opesh Kumar Sharma, a director in the federal port and shipping ministry, told a press conference.
"All Indian seafarers are presently safe. We are coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, our Indian missions abroad, the Indian Navy, and the Ministry of Defence to ensure their safety," Sharma said.
He said the cause of the fire, which broke out on the vessel at 1.30 p.m. local time (0800 GMT), was not immediately known.
Indian officials are in touch with Omani authorities for the rescue and safety of the sailors, the Indian embassy said in a post on X.
Reuters