Twenty-four Indian seafarers were rescued on Monday from the tanker Marivex off the coast of Oman after the vessel was struck by the United States military.

The US had targeted the tanker as part of its blockade restricting maritime traffic linked to Iran. The US Central Command said it disabled the Palau-flagged vessel after it allegedly violated the blockade by attempting to sail to an Iranian port. It added that the Marivex was unladen at the time of the strike.

The tanker had been sanctioned by the US government in December over its alleged links to Iran’s oil trade amid tensions in West Asia. The vessel was among the few ships that exited the Strait of Hormuz on April 9 following the announcement of a ceasefire.

Following the attack, an audio message purportedly sent to Forward Seamen’s Union of India General Secretary Manoj Yadav said the vessel was sinking after its engine room was hit. The message claimed a fire had broken out on board, making lifeboats on one side of the ship inaccessible.

The crew also alleged that a US warship in the vicinity did not provide assistance.

The sailors were later evacuated by helicopter and taken to Masirah Island in Oman. According to Yadav, all 24 crew members are safe and are expected to return to India within two days.

At a press briefing, Opesh Kumar Sharma, director at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, confirmed that all 24 Indian seafarers aboard the Marivex were safe, but declined to comment on the cause of the fire.