24 Indians Trapped in Hormuz Ship Attack; Marine Union Shares Video Seeking Urgent Navy Assistance

New Delhi: For the first time since a two-month ceasefire between Iran and Israel, both countries have attacked each other, sending fresh shockwaves across the Middle East. The fallout has now reached one of the world's most critical waterways, the Strait of Hormuz. A ship passing through the region has come under attack, and 24 Indian sailors on board are trapped, with black smoke rising from the vessel. The Forward Seamens Union of India (FSUI) shared a distress video on X, calling for urgent help from the Indian Navy, the Ministry of External Affairs, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The sailors are stranded at coordinates 20°57.07N, 059°08.13E, off the coast of Oman.

Indians in danger?

FSUI posted the SOS video tagging Indian Navy, MEA India, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and the Ministry of Shipping. The clip clearly shows thick black smoke billowing from the ship. The union is demanding immediate naval intervention to rescue the crew.

Why Hormuz matters?

The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most important oil trade route. Nearly 20 percent of all global oil shipments pass through this narrow waterway every day. Any disruption here sends oil prices and global markets into immediate turbulence.

Iran's warning on Hormuz?

Separately, Iran's Ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, has signalled a major shift in how the strait may operate going forward. Speaking to a Russian newspaper in an interview published Monday, Jalali said the Strait of Hormuz will not be closed, but new conditions will apply.
"Hormuz will certainly remain open, but its new terms will be decided by Iranian and Omani authorities," he said.
He added that Iran and Oman provide services related to the strait, and those services will now come at a price. He did not spell out specific details or figures.

The bigger picture?

The attack on the ship and Iran's transit toll warning together mark a dangerous new phase. What began as an Iran-Israel military exchange has now spilled into global shipping lanes. With Indian lives on the line and oil trade under threat, pressure is mounting on New Delhi to act fast.