A Panama-flagged container ship carrying 21 Indian sailors came under fire from boats identified as Iran’s IRGC in the Strait of Hormuz. All 21 crew members were reported safe.
BY PC Bureau
August 21, 2026: A Panama-flagged container ship carrying 21 Indian crew members came under fire from boats identified as belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Strait of Hormuz, according to video released by the Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI).
The footage, dated April 22, shows several Iranian boats approaching and surrounding the vessel. The confrontation escalates when a rocket-propelled grenade is fired at the ship, prompting crew members to take shelter inside. India’s shipping ministry later confirmed that all 21 Indian sailors aboard the vessel were safe and unharmed.
The incident took place amid increased security risks for commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route through which a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments normally passes.
Indian nationals make up about 12.2 per cent of the global seafarer workforce, making them one of the largest national groups working aboard merchant vessels. As fighting between the United States, Israel and Iran intensified from February 28, the risks faced by commercial ships and their crews in the region increased.
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A United Nations report published in June recorded at least 15 seafarer deaths in attacks on merchant vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began, with many of the victims reported to be Indian.
Safety of Indian seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz has come under renewed scrutiny after the Forward Seamen’s Union of India shared footage of a vessel carrying 22 crew members, including 21 Indians, reportedly coming under pressure from boats linked to Iran’s IRGC.… pic.twitter.com/7NYwQjy4vR
— Orissa POST Live (@OrissaPOSTLive) August 21, 2026
The latest footage released by FSUI provides a view of one such confrontation involving an Indian-crewed merchant vessel. The video shows the ship being approached and surrounded by armed boats before the reported grenade attack.
India has raised concerns with Iran over attacks affecting merchant shipping. The government also summoned Iran’s deputy ambassador following a related death last month.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, the Directorate General of Shipping advised shipowners, ship managers and recruitment agencies against deploying Indian seafarers on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz while hostilities continue.
The directorate said the recent attacks had significantly increased risks to seafarers and commercial vessels in the region. It also instructed shipmasters to maintain heighten
