Oman Rescues 24 Indian Sailors From Marivex After US Strike Disables 7th Blockade-Running Tanker
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 9
Oman Rescues 24 Indian Sailors From Marivex After US Strike Disables 7th Blockade-Running Tanker
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 9
Summary
24 Indian crew from the sanctioned tanker Marivex were airlifted to Oman's Masirah Island after a US strike left the vessel on fire and sinking about 28 km off Oman's coast.
Centcom said an F-18 from the USS Abraham Lincoln fired a precision munition into the ship's engine and steering spaces after Marivex ignored US instructions and tried to breach the blockade of Iranian ports.
Distress calls shared with BBC Verify said a missile hit the engine room, punched a hole in the hull and left the unladen tanker taking on water; verified video showed an Omani helicopter hoisting sailors from the deck.
Marivex, previously named Arihant, had already been sanctioned by Washington over alleged Iran-linked shipments, and Centcom said it was the seventh vessel disabled for violating the blockade.
The incident underscores the widening fallout from the US campaign around Iran after Tehran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for about 20% of global oil and gas supplies.
As the US disables a seventh ship, who now enforces the law in the world's most critical oil strait?
A US missile hit their ship. What happens when neutral sailors are caught in a superpower's naval blockade?
With a vital oil strait closed by a US blockade, is the world on the brink of a historic supply crisis?
MT Marivex Incident and the 2026 US Naval Blockade: Economic, Legal, and Humanitarian Fallout in the Strait of Hormuz
Overview
On June 8, 2026, a US warplane disabled the oil tanker MT Marivex near Oman as part of a broader blockade that began in April. All 24 Indian crew members were quickly evacuated with crucial help from Omani authorities, showing strong international cooperation. This incident highlights the US strategy of enforcing the blockade by targeting non-compliant vessels, having already disabled several ships and redirected many others. The blockade has caused major economic and humanitarian impacts, disrupting global trade and putting seafarers at risk, while also raising legal and diplomatic tensions between the US, Iran, and other affected nations.