'All crew members safe': MEA denies reports of attack on fourth ship carrying Indians near Strait of Hormuz

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has denied reports that a fourth ship carrying Indians was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz, saying all crew members were safe.

The denial came after fresh speculation around maritime incidents in the critical shipping lane, where tensions have been high amid competing claims from India, the United States and Iran.

What the ministry said

According to the report cited by the ministry response, there was no attack on the vessel and the crew remained unharmed.

The clarification is the latest official Indian statement in a dispute that has drawn in seafarer safety concerns, diplomatic exchanges and questions about security in one of the world’s most important chokepoints for commercial shipping.

Wider dispute in Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz sits at the center of a broader regional confrontation over maritime security.

On June 12, The Guardian reported that U.S. Central Command said it shot down Iranian attack drones targeting commercial vessels in the strait. Separately, The Economic Times reported that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told India’s S. Jaishankar that commercial vessels in Hormuz should comply with directives from U.S. forces.

Times of India also reported that Iran’s embassy in India rejected U.S. accusations of Iranian attacks on Indian-crewed ships, calling them baseless.

What remains unclear

The key unresolved questions are whether any maritime security authority independently confirms an incident, which vessel was involved, and whether Indian, U.S. or Iranian officials will update their positions.

For now, India’s position is that the reported fourth attack did not happen and that all crew members are safe.