Oil tanker turns turtle near Oman, 16 crew members including 13 Indians missing

The 16-member crew of a Comoros-flagged oil tanker that sank off the coast of Oman are still missing, the country’s Maritime Safety Center said on Tuesday, a day after the sinking was reported. The Omani center said in a post on social media platform X that the crew of the ‘Prestige Falcon’ included 13 Indian nationals and three Sri Lankans.

According to Reuters, the centre said the ship was still “submerged in the water” and “upside down”. However, it did not confirm whether the ship had been stabilized or whether oil or oil products were leaking into the sea.

The tanker capsized near the industrial port of Duqm
LSEG’s shipping data showed that the tanker was heading to the port of Aden in Yemen and capsized near Duqm, Oman’s major industrial port. Shipping data showed that the ship is a 117-meter-long oil product tanker built in 2007. Such small tankers are usually used for short coastal trips.

Oman’s state-run news agency said late Monday that Omani authorities were conducting a search and rescue operation at the scene along with maritime officials.

Oman’s main port is Duqm
Duqm Port is located on the southwestern coast of Oman. It is close to the Sultanate’s major oil and gas mining projects, including a major oil refinery. It is part of the vast Duqm Industrial Zone, which is Oman’s largest single economic project.