NEW DELHI — Three Indian sailors have been missing and 21 others rescued after the US military claimed it “disabled” an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman for violating an American blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran.
Following the incident, the Indian government summoned the deputy head of the US mission in New Delhi, officials said.
In a post on X, US Central Command said an aircraft fired “precision munitions” into the engine room of the Palau-flagged Settebelloon Tuesday evening “after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces”.
The ship was a chemical/oil products tanker which reported an engine room fire 20 nautical miles (about 37km) northeast of Oman’s port of Sohar, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said.
The Omani navy responded to the Settebello distress call, British maritime risk management group Vanguard said.
Twenty-one Indian sailors have been rescued and three remain missing, India’s Foreign Ministry said, condemning the violence and calling for an end to attacks on commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region.
“Our embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operation,” the ministry said in a statement. “The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end.”
The ministry confirmed on Wednesday that it had summoned Jason Meeks, the US Embassy’s deputy chief of mission in New Delhi.
Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the UN’s shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization, on Wednesday condemned “any act from any party that endangers the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping”.
“This is simply unacceptable. My thoughts are with the families of the three missing seafarers and with all those awaiting news of the crew members,” he said.
The US military blocked access to Iran’s ports after Tehran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which some 20% of the world’s oil and gas supplies are transported, during the ongoing conflict.
US forces have disabled eight vessels and redirected 134 others since initiating the blockade on 13 April, according to Centcom.
Earlier this week, US forces hit another Palau-flagged oil tanker with an Indian crew. The Marivex was also fired on in the Gulf of Oman after it failed to comply with US instructions, Centcom said.
All 24 crew were rescued by the Omani military, Indian authorities said.
Source: Saudi Gazette