Mumbai, March 12 -- India has confirmed a lethal maritime strike in the Persian Gulf that claimed the life of an Indian crew member and triggered an emergency evacuation after a crude oil tanker was targeted by an explosive-laden vessel during cargo operations.

In an official statement released on Thursday, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) detailed the "incident involving the oil tanker MT SAFESEA VISHNU near Basra, Iraq, on 11 March 2026, during ship-to-ship (STS) cargo loading operations off Khor Al Zubair Port."

The US-owned tanker, which sails under the Marshall Islands flag, was reportedly in the middle of a high-capacity transfer when it was targeted by a projectile. The DGS noted that the vessel, which was carrying "arou...