21 Indian Crew Safe After Iranian Firing on Vessel Euphoria in Strait of Hormuz, Multiple Ships Targeted

The article reports on the Strait of Hormuz tensions amid IRGC responses, noting that 21 Indian seafarers on Euphoria are safe, with other Indian crew involved ships also unharmed. It covers ship movements, government monitoring, and the broader impact on India’s maritime operations and energy supplies.

India’s shipping ministry reported that 21 Indian crew members on the Panama-flagged container vessel Euphoria remain unharmed after Iranian boats opened fire amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, while several other commercial ships, including one bound for an Indian port, were also caught up in related incidents.

The ministry stated that no injuries have been reported among Indian nationals working on any of the impacted merchant ships, even as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, targeted three foreign-flagged vessels on April 22 during a confrontation linked to a US move to restrict Iranian shipping in the key waterway.

Strait of Hormuz tensions and safety of Indian seafarers

Additional secretary in the shipping ministry Mukesh Mangal told reporters at an inter-ministerial briefing that, "A vessel, Euphoria, was having 21 Indian seafarers on board, and all of them are safe," adding that the container ship also carries one crew member from Myanmar, and that authorities are keeping close watch on the situation.

Mangal further said that the Liberian-registered Epaminondas, another ship attacked by IRGC units, has one Indian national in the crew who is also safe, while the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca, which Iranian outlets said is being held with Epaminondas at Bandar Abbas, does not have any Indian seafarers on board.

Strait of Hormuz tensions and changing ship movements

According to Iranian state-linked media, the Euphoria was left stranded along Iran’s coastline after the attack, but commercial tracking platforms currently place the ship near Oman, listing Khor Fakkan as the next stop, although a senior shipping ministry official, speaking anonymously, said late on April 23 that the vessel is continuing towards its original destination, Jeddah.

The ministry’s update stressed that communications and navigation data from vessels crossing the narrow waterway have become less reliable because real-time ship tracking in the Strait of Hormuz is being disrupted by wide-scale jamming and spoofing of transponder signals, complicating independent verification of ship positions.

Strait of Hormuz tensions and other affected vessels

The Euphoria, MSC Francesca and Epaminondas were all struck on Wednesday as Iran sought to challenge what Tehran views as a US blockade of its maritime trade, while also trying to reinforce its influence over the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil shipments usually pass.

India’s shipping ministry also highlighted that two Indian-flagged vessels, the Sanmar Herald and the Jag Arnav, came under fire from IRGC boats the same day while sailing through the strait, prompting both ships to reverse course and move away from the area following the incidents.

Strait of Hormuz tensions and cargo bound for India

In a separate development, the ministry said the Gibraltar-flagged bulk carrier Frosso K, loaded with 55,000 metric tonnes of sulphur, passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday and is headed for Paradip port in India, after being placed on a priority list by the department of fertilizers for urgent evacuation from the Persian Gulf.

Another key vessel, the crude oil tanker Desh Garima, which sailed through the Hormuz corridor on April 18, safely reached Mumbai on Wednesday, ensuring continuity of energy supplies to India despite the security concerns around merchant shipping in the Persian Gulf and nearby waters.

Strait of Hormuz tensions and overall Indian presence

The shipping ministry’s consolidated figures show that 518 Indian nationals are serving on Indian-flagged ships operating in the wider Persian Gulf zone, including 340 west of the Strait of Hormuz and 178 in the Gulf of Oman, highlighting the scale of India’s maritime workforce exposed to current security risks.

Mangal said, "None of the Indian seafarers has been injured in the firing on the foreign-flagged vessels," and officials noted that the government is tracking movements closely, coordinating with ship owners, and sharing updates as they become available, while wider geopolitical tensions continue to unsettle commercial traffic in the area.