Two Indian-flagged vessels attacked by Iran gunboats In Hormuz, crew safe: Sources

April 18, NDTV - Two Indian-flagged vessels were fired at by Iranian gunboats in the Strait of Hormuz today, sources have said. No one was injured and the vessels were not damaged, they said. The two ships, however, had to turn back after the incident northeast of Oman in the shipping lane critical for oil trade.

One of the two vessels involved in the incident is a very large crude carrier (VLCC), a classification given to tankers that are massive in size and designed for long-haul crude transport.

Following the incident, New Delhi summoned the Iranian ambassador and "conveyed India's deep concern at the shooting incident earlier today involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

"He [foreign secretary] noted the importance that India attached to the safety of merchant shipping and mariners and recalled that Iran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India. Reiterating his concern at this serious incident of firing on merchant ships, Foreign Secretary urged the Ambassador to convey India's views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait," the MEA said, adding the ambassador "undertook to convey these views to the Iranian authorities."

The incident comes amid operations by Iran which may not be working as a cohesive system amid the fog of war, leading to confusion on the ground. The US, too, has seen friendly fire incidents in this war.