By Omani authorities have reported that nine members of a 16-member crew, consisting of Indian and Sri Lankan nationals, have been rescued after their oil tanker capsized off the coast of Oman on Monday. Tragically, one crew member has been found dead.
The vessel, “Prestige Falcon,” was captained by Sri Lankan K. Vaiththiyakumar and crewed by 13 Indians and 3 Sri Lankans. Among those rescued, eight are Indian and one is Sri Lankan, all currently receiving medical attention. However, six crew members who escaped in a second lifeboat remain missing.
It was not immediately clear what caused the Comorian-flagged ship to capsize. But the Indian Navy, which sent a warship to help in search operations, said teams were dealing with rough seas and strong winds.
In a statement, India’s navy said eight Indian nationals were among those rescued, and that Indian and Omani teams were continuing to look for the others.
Thulasi Vaiththiyakumar, the captain’s daughter, expressed deep concern for the missing crew members. “The captain of the ship is my father. His vessel had a crew of 16 members. Among them, 13 are Indians and 3 are Sri Lankans. So far, 10 of them have been rescued, but unfortunately, one has already passed away. Among the nine who have been saved, eight are Indians and one is Sri Lankan. They are under medical attention right now. The rest of the six who escaped in the second lifeboat are still missing,” she said in an interview with Ada Derana.
She further added, “The Oman government, Oman maritime security, and the Indian Navy are coordinating the rescue efforts, but no location has been identified yet. Everyone is trying their best to locate them.”
Expressing her distress, Thulasi mentioned, “We are really upset. Still, those six people’s families are looking forward to their loved ones. We are really worried.”
Meanwhile, the relatives of Captain Vaiththiyakumar have lodged a complaint with the Bambalapitiya police, according to his daughter. Thulasi also shared that when she attempted to contact her father, the call was answered by someone speaking an unknown language, adding to the family’s anxiety.
The three Sri Lankans on board were Captain Vaiththiyakumar, Chief Engineer Dayanithi Appasamy, and Second Officer Kuganesan Mahesadasan.
Foreign media reported that the rescue operations are being conducted under challenging weather conditions, with rough seas and strong winds hampering efforts. The “Prestige Falcon,” a 117-meter oil product tanker, was en route to Aden when it capsized near Oman’s major industrial port of Duqm. Oman’s Marine Security Centre confirmed that the vessel remains submerged and inverted.
