Yemen Monitor/Reuters
The Omani Maritime Security Center announced on Wednesday that search and rescue teams have rescued nine of the 16 crew members of an oil tanker that capsized off the coast of Oman earlier in the week and found the body of one, while the search for the remaining six continues.
The “Prestige Falcon” tanker, flying the Comoros flag, capsized off the Omani coast on Monday. It was carrying a crew of 13 Indians and three Sri Lankans.
The Omani Ministry of Defense’s Maritime Security Center wrote on X: “Search and rescue efforts have been successful in finding nine of the crew of the Prestige Falcon oil tanker alive, in addition to one deceased person.”
It added, “Search and rescue efforts for the remaining crew members of the ship are still ongoing.”
The nine individuals were rescued by an Indian Navy warship after an overnight search around the ship’s last known location off the coastal state of Duqm.
The Indian Navy said in a statement that its warship INS Teg had been diverted from its operations in the area to assist in the search and rescue operation, which was hampered by “rough seas and strong winds.”
It added that the ship rescued eight Indians and one Sri Lankan in “difficult weather conditions.”
The statement explained that a long-range maritime patrol aircraft, P-8I, is contributing to the ongoing search efforts for the remaining six crew members who are still missing.
The ship was on its way to the Yemeni coastal city of Aden, according to the Marine Traffic vessel tracking website.
The Maritime Security Center did not specify the cause of the incident.
It remains unclear whether the ship was loaded with oil at the time of the incident or if any oil spill occurred.
