New Delhi: Two Indian seafarers remain missing after a drone attack on the Nicaragua-flagged tanker MT Petro Dolphin at Sohar Anchorage off Oman on Sunday (October 11), with the other nine Indian crew members rescued as search-and-rescue operations continue.The attack was one of two incidents involving commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members reported on Sunday, with a second tanker, the Marshall Islands-flagged MT Valthera, struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. All 11 Indian seafarers aboard the Valthera were reported safe.In a statement on October 11, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned both attacks, saying the recurring attacks on commercial shipping in the region were “deeply concerning” and risked aggravating an already volatile situation. It called for “immediate de-escalation and a resolution to the ongoing conflict through dialogue and diplomacy,” adding that attacks on commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must cease.According to Union shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the Petro Dolphin, which was carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was struck by a drone at Sohar Anchorage. Nine crew members were rescued, while two remained missing. Search-and-rescue operations were underway, with the local Coast Guard involved in efforts to locate them.“The Embassy is in close and continuous contact with the concerned authorities,” the Indian Embassy in Muscat said in a post on X, adding that it was closely monitoring the situation.The Federation of Seafarers’ Union of India (FSUI) identified the missing sailors as Bir Bahadur Yadav and Amit Singh and called for an urgent update on their status. In a post on X, the Union said the two young seafarers had been working as civilian crew members and urged the authorities to ensure their safety and support their families.The MEA said the Indian Embassy in Muscat was coordinating with Omani authorities and the respective ship management companies to assist the crew and support the rescue of the missing seafarers. ItThe Valthera was struck by an unidentified projectile while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz on October 11, resulting in a fire on board, Sonowal said. All 11 Indian crew members aboard the vessel were reported safe.The two incidents came days after the Panama-flagged commercial vessel MT On Peace was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz off Oman on October 6. The vessel had 19 crew members, including 17 Indian nationals. Twelve crew members were injured, including 11 Indians, who were evacuated to Khasab in Oman.In its Oct 6 statement, the MEA condemned the attack on the On Peace without identifying those responsible. It said attacks on commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure in the region must end and called for the restoration of navigation and commerce through international waterways.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors maritime security incidents, has reported a series of attacks and suspicious incidents involving vessels in the region in recent days. These have included tankers struck by unidentified projectiles, fires on board and reported attempts to interfere with vessels’ passage.Reuters had reported on Oct 7 that attacks on tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz had reached their highest weekly level since the war began, citing maritime security sources tracking incidents.The renewed attacks have coincided with a decline in shipping traffic through the strait. The news agency reported on Oct 8, citing data from analytics firm Kpler, that just 7 commodity-carrying vessels crossed the waterway on October 6, the lowest daily figure since July 23. Crude oil flows through the strait had fallen 27% from a wartime high the previous week to at least 10.1 million barrels a day, according to the data.Before the war, around 125 large commercial vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz each day. Their cargoes accounted for about one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.Although exports from Gulf producers had recovered sharply in September, the renewed attacks have raised questions about the durability of that recovery and the risks facing ships operating in the region.India has a substantial presence in the merchant shipping sector in the Gulf. The MEA said last month that more than 4,500 Indian sailors were working aboard commercial vessels plying the Persian Gulf.