Barran Press
A search and rescue operation following the capsizing of an oil tanker off the coast of Oman has resulted in the rescue of nine crew members and the discovery of one body, according to the Omani Maritime Security Center on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The search for the remaining six crew members continues.
The "Prestige Falcon," a Comoros-flagged tanker, capsized on Monday off the Omani coast. The crew consisted of 13 Indians and three Sri Lankans.
The Omani Maritime Security Center, under the Ministry of Defense, announced on Twitter: "Search and rescue efforts have resulted in finding 9 crew members of the oil tanker Prestige Falcon alive, in addition to one deceased person."
"Search and rescue efforts for the remaining crew members are ongoing," the statement added.
The nine survivors were rescued by an Indian naval ship after an overnight search operation around the tanker's last known location off the coastal state of Duqm, according to Agence France-Presse.
The Indian Navy stated in a press release that the INS Teg was diverted from its operations in the region to assist in the search and rescue efforts, which were hampered by "rough seas and strong winds."
The Navy added that the ship rescued eight Indians and one Sri Lankan in "difficult weather conditions."
The statement also mentioned that a long-range maritime patrol aircraft, P-8I, is assisting in the ongoing search for the six remaining crew members who are still missing.
According to the ship tracking website MarineTraffic, the vessel was en route to the Yemeni port city of Aden.
The Omani Maritime Security Center did not specify the cause of the incident.
It remains unclear whether the tanker was carrying oil at the time of the accident or if there was any oil spill.
Shipping data from the London Stock Exchange Group revealed that the tanker's destination was Aden, Yemen, as reported by Reuters.
The shipping data indicated that the stricken vessel was a 117-meter-long oil product tanker built in 2007. Such smaller tankers are typically used for short voyages only.