🗓️ June 29, 2025 | Gulf of Oman
In a courageous and swift naval operation, the Indian Navy’s stealth frigate INS Tabar averted a major maritime disaster by rescuing 14 Indian crew members and containing a raging engine room fire aboard the oil tanker MT Yi Cheng 6. The incident unfolded in the strategic waters of the Gulf of Oman, a critical chokepoint for global energy trade.
⚠️ Distress at Sea: Fire and Power Failure
The Palau-flagged oil tanker, MT Yi Cheng 6, was en route from Kandla Port, Gujarat, India, to Shinas, Oman, when a fire broke out in its engine room, disabling all power systems. The tanker, carrying a full crew of 14 Indians, found itself adrift and vulnerable in international waters.
Faced with a life-threatening emergency, the crew sent out a distress signal, prompting an immediate response from regional maritime authorities.
⚓ INS Tabar to the Rescue
INS Tabar, a Talwar-class stealth frigate, was already deployed in the area as part of India’s forward maritime presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
🚨 Highlights of the Operation:
🛥️ Rapid Deployment: Upon receiving the distress alert, Tabar quickly launched its integrated firefighting and damage-control teams, deploying them by helicopter and rigid-hulled inflatable boats.
👨🚒 Firefighting Team: A joint team of 13 Navy personnel and 5 tanker crew members worked tirelessly to douse the flames.
🧯 Containment and Control: Despite high temperatures, smoke, and confined engine room spaces, the team brought the fire under control, minimizing damage to the vessel.
🧍♂️👩✈️ Crew Evacuation and Medical Aid
After firefighting efforts stabilized the situation:
✅ All 14 Indian crew members were safely evacuated to INS Tabar.
🩺 The rescued sailors were given immediate medical attention, food, and rest.
❤️ No casualties or major injuries were reported.
This prompt and professional response reinforced the Indian Navy’s role not just as a military force, but also as a humanitarian and disaster-relief partner on the high seas.
🌍 Strategic Significance and Environmental Safeguard
The incident occurred in the Gulf of Oman, a crucial conduit between the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf—through which a significant percentage of the world’s oil passes daily. A full-blown fire or explosion could have triggered:
⚠️ An environmental catastrophe, with massive oil spills
💰 Severe economic disruption in global shipping lanes
🧨 Increased geopolitical tensions in an already sensitive maritime corridor
The Indian Navy’s quick intervention helped avert all these outcomes.
🇮🇳 Reaffirming India’s Role as a Net Security Provider
This successful mission echoes India’s maritime strategy of being a Net Security Provider in the Indian Ocean Region, as outlined in various policy documents including the Indian Maritime Security Strategy (IMSS 2015).
Such operations:
Enhance India’s strategic credibility in global waters
Build trust among friendly foreign nations
Reinforce India’s commitment to safeguarding global commons
🧭 Conclusion: Courage, Commitment, Capability
The operation carried out by INS Tabar once again showcases the Indian Navy’s high readiness, its professional competence, and its humanitarian ethos. By saving lives and preventing a larger catastrophe, the Navy lived up to its motto:
“Sham No Varunah” — May the Lord of the Oceans be Auspicious Unto Us.”
As global maritime challenges evolve, India’s naval forces continue to stand vigilant, prepared, and proactive—ready to protect life, environment, and peace in the high seas.
