Seafarer Injured In Ship Engine Room Fire Airlifted 44 Nautical Miles Off Oman

Oman evacuated an injured crew member from a merchant ship after a fire broke out in its engine room off the country’s coast. In a separate incident, a container ship was reportedly hit by an unknown projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said on Monday evening that an Omani Royal Air Force helicopter evacuated the injured crew member from the vessel JOHN K. The ship was about 44 nautical miles off the coast of South Al Batinah.

The crew member was taken by helicopter for medical treatment. The centre shared the information in a post on X but did not say what caused the fire or how badly the crew member was injured.

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a delayed report from a verified source about a projectile hitting a container ship travelling inbound through the Strait of Hormuz.

The report gave Sunday, October 11, as the date of the incident, but the exact time was not known. UKMTO did not name the ship or say whether anyone was injured or the vessel was damaged.

The agency said the incident was being investigated. It also advised ships in the area to be cautious and report any suspicious activity.

There is no information so far to suggest that the fire aboard JOHN K and the reported projectile strike were connected.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important routes for oil and gas shipments, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

According to the International Energy Agency, around 20 million barrels of oil and oil products passed through the strait each day in 2025, accounting for about a quarter of global seaborne oil trade. Much of these shipments were bound for Asian markets, including China, India and Japan.

Authorities have not released further details about the cause of the fire, the injured crew member’s condition or the possible damage to the container ship.

References: anews, yenisafak