Three Sri Lankans among 16 missing after oil tanker capsizes off Oman coast

Beirut, Jul. 17, (GNA) – Sixteen crew members including three Sri Lankans, were missing after their Comorian-flagged oil tanker capsized off the coast of Oman, the sultanate’s Maritime Security Centre (MSC) said Tuesday.

The MSC, which is run by the Omani Defence Ministry, said in a post on social media platform X that a “Comoros-flagged oil tanker capsized” south-east of Ras Madrakah in the country’s centre.

Search and rescue operations were underway, the MSC said without providing further details.

The statement identified the vessel as the Prestige Falcon and said it had 16 crew on board, 13 Indian nationals and three individuals from Sri Lanka.

“The crew of the ship are still missing,” it added. 

The vessel was headed for the Yemeni port city of Aden, according to the ship tracking service Marine traffic.

The tanker was built in 2007 and sails under the flag of the Comoros.

Houthi militants, who have controlled parts of Yemen since 2014, have been targeting ships bound for Israeli ports or those owned by Israeli companies in the Red and Arabian seas and Indian Ocean for months, in what they say is retaliation for Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.

Major shipping companies have been avoiding the route and sail the much longer journey around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope instead.