The MT El Gaia tanker was hit near the Strait of Hormuz while reportedly operating in “dark mode,” with its Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched off. The Panama-flagged vessel was struck by a projectile and suffered damage that led to a fire in its engine room off Oman. Twenty-three of the 25 crew members were rescued, while two seafarers remain missing. The crew included 14 Indians and 11 Pakistanis. Iran and the United States have given different accounts of what caused the incident, and the responsibility has not been independently established.What Happened To El Gaia?The tanker hit near the Strait of Hormuz was reported by maritime authorities after a vessel was struck by a projectile and a fire broke out. Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said the El Gaia was being towed toward an Omani port after 23 crew members were evacuated. Two people remain unaccounted for following the incident. The vessel was about 103 nautical miles northeast of Musandam when it was attacked, according to Omani authorities.MT El Gaia is a Panama-flagged oil tanker.The vessel had 25 crew members on board.Thirteen Indian crew members were among those rescued.Two crew members remain missing.The tanker was being towed toward an Omani port.Tanker Was In Dark ModeThe MT El Gaia was reportedly operating in “dark mode” when it was hit. In maritime terms, this means its AIS transponder was switched off, so its live position was not being publicly transmitted. Its last reported port of call was Sohar, Oman. The lack of live AIS data made it harder to establish the vessel’s exact movements around the time of the incident.The tanker had 14 Indian and 11 Pakistani crew members. Among those still missing are Pakistani third engineer Muhammad Hammad Obaida and Indian oiler Sumit Kumar Singh. The Omani Coast Guard evacuated the other 23 crew members following the incident and began the related search and rescue operation.Also Read: Strait of Hormuz Traffic Falls as Middle East Attacks IntensifyIran And US Give Different AccountsThe cause of the tanker hit off Oman remains disputed. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said the vessel struck a naval mine while using a restricted route south of the Strait of Hormuz. The United States rejected that explanation and said the tanker had previously been hit by an Iranian missile and was later struck by an Iranian drone while off Oman.International maritime authorities confirmed the vessel was damaged, but did not independently establish which account was correct. India has also condemned the attack and said it was monitoring the situation involving its nationals. The incident comes as commercial shipping through the Strait remains heavily affected by the wider regional conflict and security concerns.Key HighlightsMT El Gaia was hit near the Strait of Hormuz.The tanker was reportedly operating with AIS switched off.The vessel had 25 crew members, including 14 Indians.Omani authorities rescued 23 crew members.Two seafarers remain missing after the incident.Iran and the US have disputed the cause of the tanker damage.Search Continues For CrewThe MT El Gaia incident has raised fresh concerns about maritime safety around the Strait of Hormuz, an important international shipping route. The tanker was being towed toward Oman after its engine-room fire, while authorities continued efforts related to the two missing crew members. The use of dark mode is also an important part of the investigation because the vessel’s AIS position data was unavailable during the reported incident. The exact circumstances and responsibility for the attack remain under investigation.Disclaimer: This content is provided only for knowledge purposes and to provide news information.
