The 16-member crew of the Comoros-flagged oil tanker "Prestige Falcon" are missing after the vessel capsized off the coast of Oman, the country's maritime security center reported on Tuesday, a day after the incident was initially reported.
According to the Omani center, the crew included 13 Indian nationals and three Sri Lankans. The announcement was made via a post on the social media platform X.
In a separate statement to Reuters, the center noted that the tanker remains "submerged, inverted" and did not confirm whether the vessel had stabilised or if there was any oil leakage into the sea.
Shipping data from LSEG indicated that the tanker was en route to the Yemeni port of Aden when it capsized off the major industrial port of Duqm, Oman. The "Prestige Falcon," a 117-metre-long oil products tanker built in 2007, is typically used for short coastal voyages.
Omani authorities launched a search-and-rescue operation at the site of the incident in coordination with maritime authorities, as reported by Oman's state news agency late Monday.
The port of Duqm, located on Oman's southwest coast, is a significant hub near the sultanate's major oil and gas projects, including a prominent oil refinery that is part of Duqm's extensive industrial zone, Oman's largest single economic project.
Efforts continue to locate the missing crew members and assess the environmental impact of the incident.
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