New Delhi: The MT Marivex, a Palau-flagged oil tanker crewed by 24 Indians, was hit by an American missile strike on Monday in the Gulf of Oman. All 24 crew members have been rescued from the oil tanker by the government of Oman.
The Marivex was designated by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under its Iran sanctions programme last December. Owned by Arihant Shipping, the vessel is “known to have operated using false-flag registrations”, to evade American sanctions and export Iranian oil, sources said.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) in a statement said that it “disabled” the Marivex as “it transited international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran”. The ship was hit by a “precision munition,” launched by an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS Abraham Lincoln, according to the CENTCOM statement.
The ship was warned by the US forces before being hit by the precision munition. Despite multiple warnings, the crew failed to comply with the directions issued by the US military, leading to the strike.
“CENTCOM forces have disabled seven non-compliant vessels, redirected 134 ships that complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass since initiating the blockade on April 13,” Monday’s statement said.
The Marivex purportedly sent distress messages to a Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) office-bearer sometime on Monday afternoon, stating that there is a “hole in the bottom” of the ship after it was fired upon by the US Navy.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Indian Coast Guard said that once the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai was informed of the attack, it coordinated with Oman Maritime Search and Rescue Centre in “ensuring the safe rescue” of the crew members by Oman Navy helicopters.
Swift response by #MRCC #Mumbai following missile attack on MT Marivex in #OmanSRR.
On receiving information, MRCC Mumbai immediately coordinated with OMSC Oman, ensuring the safe rescue of 24 #Indian crew by #Oman Navy helicopters.@IndiaCoastGuard remains steadfast in its… pic.twitter.com/ULDjzgEK4g
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) June 9, 2026
The Marivex had exited the Strait of Hormuz the day after the US and Iran announced a ceasefire on 8 April, sailing from Bandar Abbas to Mangaluru in India. According to MarineTraffic, the oil tanker was currently enroute to Oman’s Duqm port from Karwar in India.
The US has imposed a blockade on Iran since 13 April, after Tehran continued to maintain the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the announcement of the ceasefire. One of the conditions for the ceasefire, according to the US, is the full opening of the international waterway.
The US blockade has since aimed to impose high economic costs on Iran for its continued position of effectively closing the Strait. Iran moved quickly to impose its control over the international waterway following joint US-Israeli strikes on Tehran on 28 February.
The US has also imposed a raft of new sanctions on Iran, as well as entities it deems as aiding Tehran’s ability to evade the sanctions as a part of ‘Operation Economic Fury’ in the last few months.
Ships like the Marivex, are considered to be a part of a fleet of tankers that has been ferrying sanctioned Iranian oil to third countries, effectively weakening the impact of the American sanctions.
The naval blockade, while new, is a part of US President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to force Tehran to concede to a negotiated end to the conflict. The fragile ceasefire in place since 8 April is teetering following Iranian strikes on northern Israel Sunday evening.
Tehran’s missile barrage followed an Israeli strike on the Dahieh neighbourhood in the Lebanese capital city of Beirut. Israel responded to the missile barrage by attacking a number of locations within Iran, including a chemicals plant.
Trump has maintained that the US and Iran are close to a deal and urged restraint from Tel Aviv and Tehran following the military exchanges.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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