5 Indian sailors drown, 9 missing as ship sinks off Oman coast

Muscat, Nov 6 (ANI): Five Indian sailors have reportedly drowned and nine are still missing after their ship sank off Oman's southern coast.

According to Gulf News, the Omani Coast Guards and Naval vessels rescued six sailors when the incident took place on Saturday.

The rescued sailors are currently being kept at the police station in Sadah, located around 140 km from Salalah in southern Oman.

P.M. Jabir, Indian Social Club Welfare Secretary has urged the Indian embassy to discuss the matter with the local authorities.

"It is strange that the rescued sailors have been locked up and I have urged the Indian embassy to take up the matter with the local authorities," Jabir said.

The nine missing sailors on board MSV Shiv Sagar MNV 2169, which sank off coast near Sadah, are Captain Prabhulal, Engineer Suresh, Lalji, Bharat, Mohan Mehta, Ashraf Asam, Yusuf Saamra, Suleiman Haji Sumara and Hussain Sumaraa.

The sailors had travelled from Gujarat to Dubai and were heading towards Salalah when they were caught up in strong winds, the report said.

Six sailors were luckily rescued as Omani vessels were guarding the coastal area in the wake of tropical cyclone Keila. (ANI)