A sailor from Odisha, stranded at sea aboard an LPG-loaded gas vessel in Qatar, has sought urgent help, sharing a distress video message pleading for rescue.
The sailor, Ashok Dixit, claimed that he is currently stuck on a ship stationed near the Ras Laffan LNG Terminal, where he has been working. In the video, he is seen desperately appealing for assistance amid rising tensions in the region.
According to the sailor, Iran has been continuously launching missile attacks targeting the Ras Laffan terminal. Although Qatar’s air defence systems are intercepting and destroying the missiles mid-air, debris from the interceptions has reportedly fallen near the vessel, posing a serious threat to those onboard.
Reports suggest that Iran has targeted the Ras Laffan Industrial City, one of Qatar’s most critical gas facilities. The missile strike has reportedly triggered a massive fire at a major gas unit, causing significant structural damage and raising fears of escalation.
The Ras Laffan industrial complex is home to one of the world’s largest LNG production facilities. Any disruption here could impact global energy supply, affecting countries heavily dependent on Qatar’s gas exports.
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The ongoing tensions in the Middle East involving Iran, Israel, and the United States are now beginning to have wider implications. The attack on the gas facility could also affect India’s gas supply chain.
Earlier, Israel had reportedly targeted Iran’s largest gas field, the South Pars Gas Field, prompting retaliation from Iran by striking Qatar’s gas infrastructure.
The situation remains tense, with safety concerns growing for those stranded in the conflict zone.
On March 11, an Indian sailor was killed in the ongoing Iran vs Israel-US war. The sailor was part of a crew on the US-owned tanker MT Safesea Vishnu. A total of 16 Indians were part of the crew.
Taking to X, the Indian Embassy in Iraq posted, “On March 11, 2026, a US-owned crude oil tanker, Safesea Vishnu, sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, was attacked near Basra, Iraq, in which one Indian crew member unfortunately lost his life. The remaining 15 Indian crew have since been evacuated to a safe place. Embassy of India Baghdad, is in regular contact with Iraqi authorities and rescued Indian sailors and is offering all possible assistance. Embassy extends its deepest condolences to the family members of the deceased crew member.”
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The Safesea Vishnu was last spotted in Basrah Oil Terminal Anchorage in the Persian Gulf off the Iraq at midnight. The vessel is a Marshall Islands-flagged ship, as per Vessel Finder.
Issuing a statement, the Directorate General of Shipping in Mumbai said that at approximately 9 PM UTC on March 11, the oil tanker, MT Safesea Vishnu, which was carrying around 48,000 metric tonnes of naphtha, was struck by a white unmanned speedboat carrying explosives as per preliminary reports.
The incident occurred near Basra, Iraq, during a ship-to-ship (STS) cargo loading operation off the Khor Al Zubair Port.
The Ministry of Ports and Shipping, on March 13, said that there are nearly 23,000 Indian sailors on merchants ships in the Gulf region.
This includes 677 sailors in 24 ships west of the Strait of Hormuz – the Iran-controlled passageway that carries a fifth of the world’s annual oil supply, Special Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha. There are 76 others in other ships east of Hormuz and all are being monitored, he said.
