Fair-Winds

One Indian crew member died, when the 'Safesea Vishnu', along with the ' Zefyros' (IMO: 9515917), was attacked by Iran near the Khor Al Zubair port close to Basra on March 11, 2026, at 11.52 p.m. The tankers were struck by drone boats packed with explosives, and were believed to be carrying as much as 400,000 barrels of Iraqi crude. The 55-year-old seafarer from Mumbai died after an explosive speedboat hit the tanker during the cargo transfer operations. Deonandan Prasad Singh, was the only person killed among the 28 crew members on the 'Safesea Vishnu'. The ship was carrying around 48,000 metric tonnes of naphtha. Singh was not supposed to be on this voyage. He had shifted to a shore-based job, but his company, Bravo Ship Management, asked him to join the ship shortly before it sailed. The crew consisted of 16 Indians and 12 Filipinos. Singh was seriously injured and did not survive. A boat belonging to the Iraqi Ports Company started rescuing the on the whole 38 crew members of both tankers. Also five tugs participated in the SAR operation. Some of the survivors were injured; assessments were still in progress on the morning of March 12. The 'Safesea Vishnu' was moored close to Umm Qasr and the Khor al-Zubair port area The 'Zefryros', carrying a crew of 22 Georgian nationals, was conducting a ship-to-ship cargo transfer with the 'Safesea Vishnu'. It was carrying condensed energy products belonging to the Basra Gas Company, before loading 30,000 tonnes of naphtha according to the State Oil Marketing Organization of Iraq (SOMO).. All 22 crew members of this ship were reported safe and were rescued and transferred to an Iraqi vessel. The blaze was brought under control and eventually extinguished with the assistance of Iraqi firefighting units and local port authorities, leaving both tankers as charred wrecks with a list to port side. After the attack the Iraqi General Ports Company suspended operations at its oil terminals. Iran has claimed responsibility for the attacks. The Safesea Transport Group and Safesea Group, both based in the USA, are the commercial and beneficial operators of the 'Safesea Vishnu'. The vessel was chartered by a company operating under contract with SOMO. The 'Zefyros' is owned by the Zefyros Trading SA, with the UK-based Cygnus Tankers LTd. as the commercial operator and the George & Vassilis Michael family group as the beneficial owner. The 'Safesea Vishnu' had recently been operating in the Persian Gulf and was heading toward Khor Al Zubair Port in Iraq, with its most recent recorded route listed as KAZ OPL, an offshore loading point near the Iraqi coast. Reports with photos and video: https://aristeguinoticias.com/1203/mundo/guerra-en-medio-oriente-petroleros-atacados-en-irak-y-carguero-en-ormuz-brent-supera-los-100-dolares/ https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/global/oil-tankers-burn-iranian-strikes-defy-trumps-claim-have-won-war https://www.timesnownews.com/world/middle-east/iran-hits-us-owned-oil-tanker-safesea-vishnu-set-on-fire-in-persian-gulf-near-basrah-iraq-article-153814102 https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/tankers/two-tankers-struck-off-iraq-fire-reported https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/topstories/iran-war-two-oil-tankers-safesea-vishnu-and-zefyros-attacked-in-iraqi-waters/ar-AA1Yrk3w?apiversion=v2&domshim=1&noservercache=1&noservertelemetry=1&batchservertelemetry=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1 https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-iran-war-video-moment-iran-struck-us-owned-ship-with-indian-sailors-on-board-11205351 https://londonlovesbusiness.com/two-oil-tankers-exploded-after-being-attacked-by-boats-laden-with-explosives-in-the-gulf/ https://apam-peru.com/diez-marinos-muertos-en-ataques-contra-buques-en-el-estrecho-de-ormuz-y-el-golfo-persico/