Crew of 13 Indians and three Sri Lankans missing after oil tanker capsizes off Oman

Oil tankers sailing through the Gulf of Oman, where those who were onboard the Prestige Falcon remain missing. AFP

The 16-member crew of a Comoros-flagged oil tanker that capsized off Oman is still missing, the country's Maritime Security Centre said on Tuesday, a day after the sinking was reported.

The crew of Prestige Falcon comprised 13 Indians and three Sri Lankans, the centre said in a post on the social media platform X.

Separately, the centre said the vessel remained “submerged, inverted”. It did not confirm whether the vessel had stabilised or oil or oil products were leaking from it.

Shipping data by LSEG showed that the tanker was heading to the Yemeni port of Aden and capsized off Oman's major industrial port of Duqm.

The vessel is a 117-metre oil products tanker built in 2007, shipping data showed. Such small tankers are typically used for short coastal voyages.

Omani authorities conducted a search-and-rescue operation at the scene in co-ordination with maritime authorities, the state news agency reported late on Monday.

The port of Duqm is on Oman's south-west coast, close to the sultanate's main oil and gas projects. These include a major oil refinery in Duqm's vast industrial zone, Oman's biggest single economic project.