Indian Seafarer Killed in Missile Attack on MV Cape Dao

An unidentified projectile, described by some sources as torpedoes or a missile, struck the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier MV Cape Dao on September 23, 2026. The vessel was transiting from Mina Saqr in the United Arab Emirates to India when it was hit 2.5 nautical miles off Oman's Musandam Governorate in the Strait of Hormuz. The strike hit the port side C-deck accommodation and the engine room, leaving the ship on fire and adrift.

Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, confirmed the death of Suraj Yadav, a wiper from Uttar Pradesh who succumbed to head injuries. The Royal Navy of Oman and the Oman Maritime Security Center evacuated 27 crew members to a jetty ashore. While the Ministry of External Affairs of India reported 19 of 20 Indian seafarers were rescued, other reports indicated 20 Indians were on board out of a total crew of 28.

The attack occurred amid severe regional tensions and threats from Donald Trump to annihilate the Islamic Republic, which the Iranian military dismissed. The Government of India condemned the targeting of civilian infrastructure and called for diplomacy to de-escalate the crisis. This incident marks the 11th Indian seafarer killed in the Strait of Hormuz since the onset of the West Asia crisis in February. Minister Sonowal has directed authorities to coordinate the repatriation of the surviving crew and the return of Yadav's remains.