Bantwal youth among Indian crew rescued by Oman Navy after missile attack on commercial ship

Mangalore Today News Network

Bantwal, Jul 15, 2026: A 25-year-old youth from Bantwal taluk in Dakshina Kannada was among the Indian crew members rescued by the Oman Navy after a commercial vessel came under a missile attack off the Oman coast amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region.

The vessel, JFS Galaxy, was reportedly struck by a missile in the early hours of Sunday, July 12. Among those rescued was Rachan R K, a resident of Biliyooru village in Bantwal taluk.

Rachan is currently safe in Oman under the care of officials from his shipping company and has informed his family that he is on his way to Dubai.

The youngest of three children of Rohithaksha Bhaanabettu, Rachan completed his degree at Vivekananda College, Puttur, before pursuing a marine course in Mumbai and joining the merchant shipping sector.

Speaking to his family about the incident, Rachan said the crew had received prior warnings of a possible attack. Despite the alerts, the vessel continued sailing along the Oman coast. At around 2.05 am on Sunday, a missile hit the ship, triggering a massive fire in the engine room.

The explosion awakened the sleeping crew members, who evacuated the vessel using lifeboats and jumped into the sea. While most of the crew escaped safely, one crew member from Pune reportedly went missing during the incident. The Oman Navy later rescued the stranded crew and provided them with necessary assistance.

Rachan’s father, Rohithaksha Bhaanabettu, said the family was deeply worried after learning about the attack.

"We were extremely anxious when we heard that the ship our son was working on had been attacked. We were relieved only after Rachan contacted us and confirmed that he was safe. At the same time, we are saddened by the disappearance of one of his colleagues. We are grateful to the Oman Navy for rescuing the Indian crew members, including our son, and pray for the safe return of everyone," he said.

A relative, Uday, said Rachan had often spoken about the tense conditions in the Gulf due to the ongoing geopolitical situation. He expressed relief over Rachan’s rescue and hoped he would return to India soon.