Key facts
- Three Indian sailors were killed in a US strike on the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello off Oman.
- The US Central Command stated the vessel violated a naval blockade of Iran's ports.
- India has lodged a second protest with the US and summoned a senior US diplomat.
- The ship's manager denied carrying Iranian oil and called for an investigation.
- Twenty-one Indian sailors were rescued by the Omani Navy.
India has lodged a second protest with the United States following a US strike that killed three Indian sailors aboard the Palau-flagged oil tanker Settebello off the coast of Oman. The incident occurred more than three months into the ongoing Iran war.
US Central Command stated that the M/T Settebello oil tanker was fired upon after its crew "repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces" and violated the ongoing naval blockade of Iran's ports. India's Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed the deaths of the three Indian seafarers, initially reported missing, calling it a "profound loss to our maritime family."
Family members of the deceased sailors expressed deep grief and called for government action to protect Indian mariners. Aditya Sharma's grandfather told the Press Trust of India, "We want to know the full truth of what happened." Aditya had reportedly told his father that the ship received two warnings from the US Navy in the two weeks prior to the strike.
India's External Affairs Ministry condemned the continuing attacks on shipping in the region, stating, "The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end." Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced that India had summoned a senior US diplomat to register a "strong protest" and expected the US to "take due note."
Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar also contacted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to protest the incident. The Settebello was one of at least three tankers hit by US strikes in the Gulf of Oman this week, with CENTCOM also disabling the Guinea-Bissau-flagged M/T Jalveer and the Palau-flagged M/T Marivex for alleged violations related to transporting Iranian oil.
The manager of the Settebello, IOS Marine FZE, rejected claims that the vessel ignored warnings or was carrying Iranian crude, stating it "holds no affiliation whatsoever with Iran or Iranian oil." The company called for a transparent international investigation. The Omani Navy responded to the Settebello's distress call after it reported an engine fire, rescuing 21 Indian sailors.