India has summoned Jason Meeks, the US Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, to lodge a strong protest after a second US strike on an oil tanker in three days left three Indian sailors missing in the Gulf of Oman. The latest incident involved the Palau-flagged products tanker Settebello, which was struck by US forces while carrying Iranian oil off the coast of Oman.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that of the 24 Indian crew members on board Settebello, 21 have been rescued while three remain unaccounted for. India condemned the attack on the commercial vessel and said its embassy in Muscat is closely coordinating with Omani authorities on ongoing search and rescue operations.
The strike on Settebello came just days after another US attack on the tanker Marivex, which was also linked by Washington to Iranian oil exports and had 24 Indian seafarers on board who were later rescued off Oman’s south-eastern coast. New Delhi has raised concerns about the safety of Indian seafarers amid escalating maritime tensions linked to US efforts to enforce sanctions on Iranian oil shipments.
According to the US Central Command, its forces carried out a “precision” strike on Settebello after the tanker allegedly tried to breach a US-led blockade on Iranian oil, and said the crew did not comply with its instructions. India, however, has stressed that commercial shipping and civilian crew must not be put at risk and has sought a detailed explanation from the US on the circumstances leading to the attack and the measures taken to safeguard Indian nationals at sea.
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