All 24 crew of the Palau-flagged MT Marivex are safe, New Delhi's Shipping Ministry has said

An oil tanker is sinking off the coast of Oman after being hit by a projectile, according to reports.

The merchant vessel MT Marivex was carrying a crew of 24 Indians when it was reportedly targeted near Oman's Masirah Island.

SOS calls from the crew originated at 1:30 PM local time on Monday, India Today reported.

Some media reports, citing an SOS call by a crew member on board the stricken ship, said the vessel could have been fired upon by the US Navy. RT could not independently verify the reports.

The United States Central Command, under whose area of operations the incident occurred, has not commented.

India's Shipping Ministry confirmed the incident and acknowledged the 24 crew on board were its citizens. The Indian Embassy in Oman said all crew members have been rescued.

"Based on the preliminary information received, all Indian seafarers are presently safe," the Shipping Ministry said on Monday evening. "They were rescued by the Omani authorities."

The ministry said it was coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions abroad, the Indian Navy, and Ministry of Defense to ensure the crew's safety.

The Palau-flagged vessel, which was heading to Oman's Duqm from Karwar in India, was not carrying any cargo, NDTV reported.

The report said the All India Seafarers Union had received a distress call from a Marivex crew member.

According to ship-tracking website Marine Traffic, the 135-foot vessel is an oil/chemical tanker. The website reported the ship's latest status as "at anchor" in the Arabian Sea.

In March, the US Navy sank an Iranian Navy ship off Sri Lanka's coast, killing at least 87 sailors on board.