Indian seafarers have increasingly found themselves caught in attacks on commercial shipping since the Iran war began. In a fresh incident, a vessel carrying 21 Indian sailors came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz, which according the Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI), was carried out by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The seafarers' union shared a footage of what it described as a distressing confrontation involving a vessel carrying 22 crew members, including 21 Indians, in the Strait of Hormuz on April 22.
In a post on X, the union said the vessel came under pressure from boats operated by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to FSUI, the footage shows several small boats surrounding the vessel, an RPG being fired and crew members taking cover inside the ship.
“These were not pirates. They were naval forces of the IRGC," the union said, arguing that advisories and safety guidelines alone cannot protect civilian crews operating in a conflict zone.
On 22 April, in the Strait of Hormuz, a vessel carrying 22 crew members, of whom 21 were Indian, faced a deeply distressing situation.
— FSUI (@FSUIINDIA) August 20, 2026
These were not pirates.
They were naval forces of the IRGC.
Videos show several small boats surrounding the vessel, the intensity of the… pic.twitter.com/5UgxtZETSd
The incident is among a series of maritime confrontations reported since the US-Israel war against Iran began, with Indian seafarers repeatedly being caught in the conflict.
On April 22, Iran said its forces had seized two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said two of the three foreign-flagged vessels fired upon by Iranian forces that day had 22 Indian seafarers on board.
The ministry also said at least one Indian seafarer was among the crew of a vessel taken into Iranian custody. The government said the seafarers were safe.
The attacks continued beyond April. In June, three Indian sailors were killed when US forces struck Indian-crewed commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
India subsequently urged Washington to halt attacks on shipping and summoned a US official over the strikes.
By July, reports said the number of Indian seafarers killed in US and Iranian attacks on vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz had risen to eight.
At least 10 civilian ships carrying Indian seafarers were also reportedly targeted since the beginning of the conflict.
