- By Priyanka Koul
- Sat, 09 May 2026 11:16 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Iran-US Tensions: Amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, a Gujarat sailor was killed and five others were injured after a dhow was caught in crossfire in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, according to a representative of a seafarers’ association.
The vessel was severely damaged and began sinking after coming under indiscriminate firing in the middle of the sea. A young sailor from Salaya, who was on duty in the engine room at the time, succumbed to serious injuries.
The wooden dhow, Al Faize Noore Sulemani 1, had a crew of 18 members on board. It departed from Dubai on May 7 and was headed to Mukalla in Yemen when it reportedly came under fire at around 1 am on May 8 while crossing the Strait of Hormuz, a key sea route currently at the centre of the escalating Iran-US conflict, with marine traffic severely affected in the region.
Altaf Talab Ker, a resident of Salaya in Gujarat, was inside the engine room when the firing took place. He later died of his injuries. The remaining 17 sailors on board were rescued in time by a passing vessel and have since safely reached Dubai Port. He hailed from Salaya village in Gujarat’s Dwarka district.
Following the incident, Adam Bhaya, Secretary of the Indian Sailing Vessels Association, sent an urgent appeal to the Indian government via email. He requested that arrangements be made at the earliest to bring Altaf Ker’s body back to his native village, Salaya.
He also urged authorities to ensure the immediate repatriation of the 17 Indian sailors who arrived in Dubai and to expedite all necessary legal formalities, including the issuance of the death certificate.
The remaining crew members were rescued by MSV Prem Sagar-I (BDI-1491) at around 7 am local time and reached Dubai Port by 6 pm the same day. They are currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.