Three ships were attacked near Limah, Oman, between 1 and 3 November 2026. Limah is a village on the Musandam peninsula. It lies on the Gulf of Oman side, close to the Strait of Hormuz.
One seafarer was killed. He was on the Indian cargo dhow Al Jusufi. A dhow is a traditional wooden trading ship.
What happened
1 November, 20:20 UTC: a ship was hit by an unknown projectile 9 nautical miles northeast of Limah. The master said it made a hole in the starboard (right) side. The ship and crew were safe, UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.
2 November: the Indian dhow Al Jusufi was hit near Limah. It was sailing out of the Strait of Hormuz with 14 Indian crew. India's shipping minister said an unidentified object from the air struck it.
3 November, 19:00 UTC: a tanker was hit by two unknown projectiles in the engine room. This was 14 nautical miles northeast of Limah. No one was hurt and there was no pollution, UKMTO said.
UKMTO is a British navy centre that takes reports from merchant ships in the region. It did not say who fired at the ships. No one has said they did it.
The crew of Al Jusufi
Thirteen crew members were rescued. Gandhar Nahim Ajij, a seafarer from Gujarat, died from his injuries. India's shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal gave his name on X.
The minister said the Omani Coast Guard rescued the 13 crew. UKMTO said the Royal Navy of Oman rescued them. UKMTO did not know what happened to the dhow.
India's Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack. It said the Indian Embassy in Oman is working with Omani authorities. The aim is to bring the 13 crew home soon, together with the body of the seafarer who died.
The dhow was sailing from Hamriyah port in the United Arab Emirates to Porbandar in Gujarat. It left on 31 October with about 900 to 950 tonnes of dates. It was registered at Bedi port in Jamnagar district. The owner's family said the attack destroyed the dhow and its cargo.
On 4 November a relative of the dhow's owner spoke to reporters. He said the family of Gandhar Nahim Ajij decided to bury him at Khasab port in Oman. The reason was delays with the formalities. The other 13 crew have applied for visas. They will fly home once these are cleared.
More attacks in the region
This area has had many attacks since the war in the region started this year. The IMO counted 128 confirmed incidents and 24 seafarers killed, as of 3 November 2026. Its list did not yet include the three new attacks near Limah. The IMO list already had the gas tanker Leonora Kosan, damaged 6 nautical miles northeast of Limah on 23 October.
The Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman are an IBF warlike area until 19 November 2026. Read what this means for your pay and rights in our post on the IBF warlike area. The US Navy may also stop and search ships in the area. See our post on the US blockade of Iran.
What to do now
UKMTO tells all ships in the area to pass with caution. Report anything suspicious to UKMTO.
UKMTO's emergency phone is +44 2392 222060. Its email is watchkeepers@ukmto.org. Make sure these are on the bridge and in your ship's security plan.
If your ship is hit, the master or the company security officer (CSO) should report to UKMTO at once. The CSO is the person in the company who is in charge of ship security.
Follow the master's orders and the ship's security plan during the transit. Know where to shelter on board.
On a ship with an IBF agreement, you have the right to refuse to sail into a warlike area. Tell the company in writing before the ship enters the area, and keep a copy.
Before you sign a contract for this region, ask the crewing agency about the war bonus, insurance and repatriation. Do this also on small ships such as dhows and tugs.
Tell your family your ship's route and the company's emergency contact.
For union, welfare and government help lines, see official help lines for seafarers.
Cover photo: A heavily loaded trading dhow leaves Dubai Creek, United Arab Emirates, June 2009. It is not Al Jusufi. Illustrative photo. Photo: Peter Dowley/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped).
Sources: UKMTO Warning 193-26: attack 9 NM northeast of Lima, Oman, 1 November 2026 (PDF), UKMTO Warning 194-26: attack on an Indian-crewed dhow, 2 November 2026 (PDF), UKMTO Warning 195-26: tanker hit 14 NM northeast of Lima, Oman, 3 November 2026 (PDF), DD News: India condemns attack on commercial vessel off Oman coast; one Indian killed, 13 rescued (3 Nov 2026), The Hindu: Indian seafarer killed in attack on ship near Oman (3 Nov 2026), IANS: Indian national dies after attack on commercial vessel MSV Al Jusufi near Oman, MEA condemns strike (3 Nov 2026), Anadolu Agency: Tanker hit by 2 projectiles off Oman (4 Nov 2026), IMO: Middle East – highlighted (confirmed) incidents (as at 3 November 2026), The Hindu: Deceased sailor hailed from Gujarat, kin plan burial in Oman (4 Nov 2026), The Indian Express: report on the Al Jusufi voyage and the Indian sailor killed off Oman (Nov 2026).
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