Mahbubul Haque, Salalah (Oman): A commercial vessel named Phoenix 15 sank early Saturday (June 21) about 20 nautical miles southeast of Oman’s Salalah coast. The Comoros-flagged ship reportedly lost power in the open sea and sank shortly thereafter.
All 20 crew members on board were rescued alive, according to a statement from Oman’s Maritime Security Center (MSC). A nearby commercial vessel, Gulf Barka, responded swiftly to the distress signal and carried out the rescue operation.
In its official statement, the Maritime Security Center confirmed that the rescue was executed immediately after the incident was reported, and no casualties or injuries have been reported. Authorities have already launched an investigation to determine the cause of the sinking.
The Phoenix 15 had departed from Jebel Ali Port in the United Arab Emirates on June 8, carrying containerized cargo bound for Jeddah Islamic Port in Saudi Arabia, with an expected arrival date of June 24.
The ship was built at Xinhua Shipyard in China and is classified as a feeder-class container vessel. It has reportedly undergone four changes in flag registration prior to its current Comoros registration.
Although the type of cargo onboard has not yet been officially disclosed, the incident has once again raised concerns over maritime safety—particularly regarding small to medium-sized commercial vessels operating in the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf.
 about 20 nautical miles southeast of Oman’s Salalah coast.){kind=link}