Tragedy at sea: One Indian sailor lost his life when MSV Al JusuFi came under attack while sailing from the UAE to Porbandar. The government is assisting the survivors and arranging the return of the deceased.
BY PC Bureau
November 3: A cargo ship carrying 14 Indian sailors came under attack off the coast of Oman on November 2, killing one crew member and once again highlighting the growing dangers faced by Indian seafarers amid the intensifying Middle East conflict.
Gandhar Nahim Ajij, a sailor from Gujarat, succumbed to injuries after an unidentified aerial object — believed to be an explosive drone or missile — struck the vessel MSV Al JusuFi. The remaining 13 Indian crew members survived the attack and were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed the incident in a statement on X. “While 13 crew members safely evacuated and were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard, I am deeply saddened to report that one of our seafarers, Gandhar Nahim Ajij from Gujarat, tragically succumbed to his injuries,” he said, offering condolences to the family.
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🇮🇳 One Indian national was killed after an unidentified aerial object struck the Indian-flagged vessel MSV AL JUSUFI near Limah, Oman.
13 of the 14 Indian crew members were rescued.
India’s MEA condemned the attack, calling for de-escalation and the protection of commercial shipping.
— The Eagle Eye (@Theeye_eagle) November 3, 2026
The MSV Al JusuFi, registered in Salaya in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district, was en route from Hamriyah Port in the United Arab Emirates to Porbandar when the attack occurred. All 14 sailors on board were Indian nationals.
The central government and the Indian Embassy in Oman are in close contact with local authorities to ensure medical and logistical support for the survivors and to facilitate the early repatriation of Ajij’s body to India.
The incident forms part of a disturbing pattern of attacks on commercial shipping in the region. Over the past months, cargo vessels and tankers have repeatedly been targeted, placing hundreds of Indian seafarers — who form a significant part of the global merchant navy workforce — at heightened risk.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, 22 Indian nationals have so far lost their lives in the conflict zone, including 14 seafarers. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal recently expressed the government’s deep concern, noting the rising human cost of the continuing hostilities.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation as efforts continue to bring the surviving crew members home safely and to secure the remains of the deceased sailor.
