Five Indian nationals were safely rescued after a Kuwait-flagged crude oil tanker was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, with the Indian mission in Oman coordinating their evacuation and shifting all five ashore.The vessel, MT Kazimah III, was hit while sailing through the strategically vital waterway, the Embassy of India in Oman said. The mission thanked Omani authorities for their support and assistance in bringing the Indian crew members safely ashore.The embassy said it had coordinated the rescue of the five Indians and confirmed that “all five Indian nationals have been shifted ashore safely”. The tanker was reportedly carrying crude oil and was headed towards Lomé in Togo.The identity of the projectile and the circumstances surrounding the strike were not immediately established. A separate report by the UK Maritime Trade Operations said a crude oil tanker had been struck by an unidentified projectile about four nautical miles east of Oman, with all crew members reported safe and no environmental impact reported at the time.The incident comes amid heightened maritime security risks in the Gulf, with commercial shipping facing growing threats as tensions continue to roil West Asia.India has been closely monitoring the safety of its large seafaring community in the region. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said earlier this week that more than 4,500 Indian seafarers were working aboard commercial vessels operating in the wider region. Of these, around 163 were aboard 12 active cargo ships — six Indian-flagged vessels and six foreign-flagged ships carrying cargo to India.The Ministry of Shipping, in coordination with Indian missions and local authorities, has been monitoring vessel movements and the welfare of Indian seafarers, Jaiswal had said.