New Delhi, 10 October (H.S.): A Panama-flagged crude oil tanker, MT GEM NO. 2, carrying 22 Indian nationals, was subjected to a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage on October 9, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said.

In a post on X, Sonowal said all 22 Indian seafarers aboard the vessel were safe. He added that the situation was being continuously monitored and that he was in contact with the ship management company to ensure the crew's security.

The incident comes amid concerns over attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf region and the Black Sea.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday highlighted the objectives of the newly formed Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers (GoF on S4), an initiative aimed at strengthening international cooperation on maritime safety.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the group seeks to bring together countries involved in commercial shipping and the maritime industry, as well as those with significant seafaring communities, to place the safety of commercial vessels and seafarers at the centre of global discussions.

Jaiswal said the group's first meeting was held in New York and was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Liberia's Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, with 25 countries participating.

India and Liberia, as co-chairs of the group, on Thursday condemned attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf region and its vicinity, as well as the Black Sea. The joint statement described attacks that disrupt maritime trade and endanger lives as indefensible and called for their immediate cessation in the interest of peace and stability in the region.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar