US Navy assists in the rescue of Indian Sailors off Oman.

Fourteen sailors were safely evacuated after the vessel suffered an engine failure.

The United States Navy coordinated a successful rescue operation for 14 Indian sailors after their vessel, Virat 1, encountered engine trouble in the Arabian Sea near Oman. The incident unfolded roughly 80 nautical miles east of Ras al Hadd, when the Indian-flagged dhow began taking on water and risked sinking.

Citing a mechanical breakdown, the Indian ship was on the verge of sinking, and the crew was forced to abandon the vessel and seek safety in a liferaft. A US Navy P-8 maritime patrol aircraft quickly responded, deploying a raft and monitoring the evacuation. The aircraft also alerted nearby ships and regional authorities to assist in the rescue.

One of the first vessels to respond was MV Jabal Ali 9, a St Kitts and Nevis-flagged ship traveling from Sohar to Mumbai. It reached the distressed dhow and helped transfer the crew to safety. The Indian Embassy in Muscat confirmed that all 14 sailors were evacuated without injury and emphasized that it was closely coordinating with Omani authorities to ensure their well-being.

Virat 1 is classified as a Mechanised Sailing Vessel (MSV), commonly referred to as a dhow. Though relatively small, such vessels are vital for regional trade and transport. The embassy noted that the emergency was purely technical, stressing that the incident was not connected to recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf of Oman.

The Indian Embassy reiterated its commitment to monitoring the situation until the crew is fully secure. While investigations into the recent attacks continue, officials highlighted that the swift response to Virat 1 demonstrates the effectiveness of joint maritime efforts in ensuring the safety of sailors navigating one of the world’s most sensitive shipping lanes.