A 25-year-old sailor who died after a suspected drone attack on an Indian-flagged cargo vessel off the Oman coast near the Strait of Hormuz hailed from Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district, a relative of the vessel owner said on Wednesday (November 4, 2026).
Nahim Ajij Gandhar was among the 14 crew members on board the vessel, which was registered at Bedi port in Gujarat’s Jamnagar district. He said all the crew members were residents of Salaya.
The sailor’s family has decided to conduct Gandhar’s burial in Oman, citing delays in completing formalities, he said.
The projectile hit, which triggered strong condemnation from India, destroyed the mechanised sailing vessel (MSV) and the consignment of dates it was carrying, said Akbar Ahmed Sumbhaniya, whose younger brother Jusab owns the vessel.
An MSV is a hybrid watercraft that retains traditional sailing rigs and hull designs (such as wooden cargo dhows or kotias) while also being fitted with a mechanical propulsion engine (typically a diesel engine) and a propeller.
The vessel, Al Jusufi, was carrying nearly 900 metric tonnes of dates from Hamriyah port in the United Arab Emirates to Porbandar when it was struck on November 2 off the Oman coast near Limah, said Mr. Sumbhaniya.
“Gandhar was at the steering wheel inside the cabin when the attack took place. One side of his leg was completely fractured, and his left hand was also badly injured,” Mr. Sumbhaniya told PTI over the phone from Salaya.
Mr. Sumbhaniya said he received a call from the MSV’s captain at around 4.45 p.m. on November 2, informing him that the vessel had come under a drone attack and caught fire. “Within five minutes of the attack, the crew members boarded a lifeboat,” he said.
The vessel was sailing close to the Omani coastline, around 2 km from the shore and a few nautical miles after crossing the port of Limah, when the suspected drone attack took place, according to Mr. Sumbhaniya.
He said the attack destroyed the vessel, causing a loss of ₹2-3 crore, and the consignment of dates.
Mr. Sumbhaniya said the MSV operated from Salaya, where he and his brother live.
The crew had been deployed on the vessel three to four months ago after travelling from Gujarat to the UAE in May-June, he said.
Gandhar’s family has decided to conduct his burial at Khasab port in Oman instead of bringing his body back to India, citing delays in completing formalities, he said.
The other crew members have already applied for visas and are awaiting clearance. They would return to India by flight once formalities are completed, he said.
In a post on X on November 3, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said his Ministry and the Indian Embassy in Oman are in contact with local authorities to ensure immediate assistance for the 13 survivors and facilitate the swift repatriation.
“On November 2, the Indian MSV AL JUSUFI, carrying 14 Indian seafarers, was struck by an unidentified aerial object while navigating near the coast of Oman. While 13 crew members safely evacuated and were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard, I am deeply saddened to report that one of our seafarers, Gandhar Nahim Ajij from Gujarat, tragically succumbed to his injuries,” said Mr. Sonowal in a post on X.
Condemning the attack, India also pressed for the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution to the conflict in West Asia, involving the U.S., Israel and Iran, so that peace and stability can return to the region.
Meanwhile, the Indian Sailing Vessels Association (ISVA) has written to the Iranian Ambassador in New Delhi, seeking urgent intervention to ensure the safe passage of Indian traditional sailing vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
ISVA general secretary Adam Bhaya said four Indian sailing vessels had been attacked by suspected drones or missiles since the regional conflict escalated in February 2026, resulting in the deaths of two Gujarati sailors so far.
The association has said the attacks pose a serious threat to seafarers engaged in traditional maritime trade, which supports around three lakh people through direct and indirect employment.
In its letter, the ISVA said these vessels are largely owned by economically vulnerable families, particularly from Gujarat’s coastal regions, and are often their ancestral assets and entire life savings.
The association has proposed several safety measures, including restricting passage through the strait to daylight hours, keeping Automatic Identification System (AIS) and VHF (very high frequency) radios operational, submitting advance notifications, and following a designated safe transit corridor.
It has also sought a mechanism to identify and warn civilian Indian vessels before any military engagement, particularly during instances of GPS interference or communication disruptions.
Mr. Bhaya has requested an urgent meeting with the Iranian Ambassador to discuss the safety concerns and work out a mechanism for the secure passage of Indian sailors.
Published – November 04, 2026 04:45 pm IST
