Three Indian sailors were confirmed dead after the US military struck the tanker MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday, according to AP News. The vessel had 24 Indian crew members on board; 21 were rescued.
India’s Shipping Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said on X that the bodies of the three deceased sailors would be brought back to India soon.
According to India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Additional Secretary Mukesh Mangal, those killed were Aditya Sharma, a cadet; Shivanand Chaurashiya, a fitter; and Patnala Suresh, a chief engineer.
In a statement on X, the US Central Command (Centcom) said one of its aircraft fired “precision munitions” into the tanker’s engine room after the crew “repeatedly failed” to comply with instructions.
The BBC reported that earlier in the week, US forces struck the Palau-flagged oil tanker Marivex in the Gulf of Oman, according to Centcom. Indian authorities said all 24 crew members were rescued by the Omani military before the vessel sank.
On Thursday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the Guinea-Bissau-flagged MT Jalveer also came under attack near Oman’s Shinas port. Additional Secretary Aseem Mahajan said the Royal Navy of Oman was assisting with the evacuation, while Delhi later confirmed all 20 crew members were safe.
India lodges protest
Following the strike on the Settebello, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India had “lodged a strong protest” with the United States, ANI reported.
“We called in the American CDA [chargé d’affaires] and informed them of our deepest concerns about the ongoing incidents of attacks,” Jaiswal said.
Although the ships were foreign-flagged, most of their crew members were Indian nationals.
Aditya Sharma’s father, Rajesh Sharma, told the BBC that his son had been due to return home in May, but his assignment was extended. He said he last spoke to his son on Sunday.
Questioning the circumstances of the incident, he said: “Who is responsible for the deaths [of the three Indian sailors]? The circumstances that led to the deaths must be investigated.”
The strikes occurred during a period of heightened tensions between the United States and Iran. The US imposed a blockade on Iranian ports after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route that carries about 20% of global oil and gas supplies.
According to Centcom, US forces completed additional self-defense strikes against multiple targets in Iran, June 10, at the Commander in Chief’s direction..
India has maintained that “targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end.”
Manoj Yadav, general secretary of the Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI), said the union had begun contacting the families of the deceased sailors. Speaking to The Economic Times, he said he “refused to believe” that US authorities were unaware of the nationalities of those aboard the vessels.
“If the ships failed to heed their instructions, detaining them was a viable alternative,” Yadav said.
Tensions between the US and Iran continue. Both countries exchanged strikes for a second consecutive day, despite a ceasefire reached in April.
According to India’s shipping ministry, there are currently 562 Indian seafarers on Indian-flagged vessels in the region, including 329 in the Persian Gulf region, west of Hormuz and 233 in the Gulf of Oman, east of Hormuz, ANI reported. Additional Secretary Mukesh Mangal said there are “more than 18,000 Indian seafarers in total in the whole Gulf region.”
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would be hit “hard” if it delayed signing a peace agreement, accusing Tehran of playing Americans “for suckers.”
The current conflict began on 28 February after US and Israeli strikes in Iran killed the country’s supreme leader. Iran responded with attacks on Israel and US-aligned states in the Gulf, and the fighting later spread across the region.
