Pakistani seafarer missing after tanker attack in Strait of Hormuz

Muhammad Hammad Obaida, a Pakistani national from Karachi, was among the crew members aboard a tanker reportedly struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz.

The incident left two sailors missing, while the remaining 23 crew members were rescued and brought ashore by the Omani Coast Guard.

Obaida’s family is now seeking information about his whereabouts and has appealed to the Pakistani government for help in locating him.

Two sailors remain missing

The Panama-flagged tanker, MT El Gaia, had 25 crew members on board. They included 14 Indian nationals and 11 Pakistani nationals.

The two sailors still unaccounted for are Muhammad Hammad Obaida and Indian national Sumit Kumar Singh.

Obaida was serving as the vessel’s Third Engineer and had joined the tanker on September 7, 2026. Singh, who was working as an Oiler, had joined the vessel on June 25, 2026.

According to the available information, both missing crew members were reportedly on duty in the engine room when the incident occurred.

Engine room reportedly damaged

Photographs of MT El Gaia taken on September 13 reportedly showed damage to the engine room after the vessel was struck.

The tanker was said to be operating in “dark mode”, meaning its Automatic Identification System (AIS) was switched off. As a result, its coordinates were not available at the time of reporting.

The vessel’s last reported port of call was Sohar, Oman. The tanker had reportedly departed from the Omani coast on September 6 before the incident took place on September 13.

The circumstances surrounding the attack remain disputed, with different accounts emerging about what struck the vessel.

Omani Coast Guard rescues crew

Following the incident, the Omani Coast Guard boarded the tanker and helped transfer the surviving crew members to an Omani Coast Guard vessel.

The 23 rescued sailors were subsequently brought ashore. The crew included both Pakistani and Indian nationals in senior and operational positions.

The vessel’s Master and Chief Engineer were Pakistani nationals. The Chief Officer, Second Engineer and several other crew members were Indian nationals.

The rescue operation brought most of the crew to safety, but the whereabouts of Obaida and Singh remained unknown.

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Conflicting accounts of the attack

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said the tanker had struck naval mines while using what it described as an illegal route south of the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States disputed that account. US officials said the vessel was struck by a missile and later by a drone.

These conflicting statements mean that the exact cause and sequence of the incident have not been independently established in the information available.

The Strait of Hormuz is a major international shipping route, making incidents involving commercial vessels a concern for maritime safety and regional security.

Family fears for missing Pakistani sailor

Hammad Obaida’s brother, Fawad Obaida, said the family was deeply worried and feared that Hammad may have died in the attack.

Fawad said a Dubai-based shipping company had informed the family about the incident. However, he said the company had not confirmed Hammad’s death or his return.

He appealed to the Pakistani government to take steps to locate his brother and bring him back to Pakistan.

According to Fawad, Hammad lived in Gulistan-e-Johar, Karachi. The family is awaiting clearer information about the search and rescue efforts.