New Delhi: Up to 23 Indian citizens including 15 Indian seafarers have died due to the current conflict in West Asia and five Indian citizens have also died as a result of attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea region, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a bi-weekly press briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said one Indian citizen passed away after an attack on a vessel containing 14 Indian crew members off the coast of Oman on Monday.
He also thanked the Omani authorities for assisting in the rescue of 13 Indian citizens.
Previously India had released figures stating that 22 of its citizens had died as a result of the West Asia conflict, including 14 Indian seafarers. This figure has now increased to 23 with the latest death, of which 15 of these are Indian seafarers.
13 Rescued Indians To Be Repatriated
Jaiswal said the government was working to repatriate the 13 Indian citizens as quickly as possible and arrangements were being made to repatriate the remains of the individual.
“Yesterday we had an attack on our Indian ship. We have released a statement and you would have seen the details. There were 14 Indian crew members onboard the ship. Tragically unfortunately one of these crew members passed away. We are working to ensure that these 13 Indian citizens are repatriated back to India,” he said.
Arrangements were also being made to transport the remains back to India.
He also thanked Oman for their quick response and said India called for dialogue and diplomacy to bring peace back to the region.
“We once again call upon the parties to engage in dialogue and diplomacy so that we can have an early return to peace in the region. We must ensure that free passage is allowed through the international waters.”
Five Indians Killed In Black Sea Attack On Commercial Vessels
The MEA spokesperson said five Indian citizens had passed away as well as two missing individuals due to attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea region.
Earlier today India expressed its condemnation towards the attack on the commercial vessel MSV AL JUSUFI near Limah in Oman, where one Indian citizen lost their life.
In a statement released by the ministry, it said 13 of the 14 Indian citizens onboard had been rescued from the incident. One individual had sadly died from injuries sustained.
The Indian Embassy in Oman is keeping a close eye on the situation and working closely with the local authorities to repatriate the rescued crew members back to India as soon as possible.
India Calls For De-Escalation Immediately
The MEA expressed its concerns with the continued attacks on commercial vessels within the region and called for an immediate de-escalation.
It also called on the parties involved to finalise ongoing negotiations to reach a diplomatic resolution.
The ministry also emphasised that attacks on commercial vessels and civil infrastructure must stop. Free and uninterrupted passage for trade must be ensured through international waters in accordance with international law.