(Image source from: Themeghalayanexpress.com)
Three Indian sailors, who were first reported as missing, have sadly died after an attack on their ship by US forces near Oman earlier this week, according to Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. He described the situation as a "tragic" loss and confirmed that the bodies of all three missing sailors have now been found. The oil tanker, Settebello, which flies the Palau flag, had 28 crew members on board, including 24 Indians and four others—two from Pakistan, one from Ukraine, and one from Russia—when it was attacked by the US military in the Gulf of Oman. The US military stated that the ship was targeted because it allegedly did not follow its instructions and was carrying oil from Iran. Initially, it was reported that 21 Indian sailors were saved from the ship, while three seafarers—deck cadet Aditya Sharma, engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya, and chief engineer Patnala Suresh—were still unaccounted for.
"It is very sad to hear about the unfortunate event on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello. Unfortunately, three Indian sailors who were thought to be missing have now been confirmed dead after their bodies were found and identified," he wrote on X. "This is a significant loss for our maritime community. The Modi government fully supports the grieving families during this hard time and is dedicated to helping them. I have instructed officials to ensure that the rescued crew members return home quickly and that the remains of the deceased are brought back for their final ceremonies," he said. The company managing the ship has had trouble maintaining a stable communication connection with the other sailors still on board. The fatalities occurred after US Central Command forces used precise weapons to strike the oil tanker near Oman due to its alleged violation of an ongoing oil blockade on Iran.
India has criticized this incident, stating that 24 Indian sailors were attacked by the US Navy while the ship was trying to pass through Hormuz. "Attacks on ships in the area are very concerning and are a direct consequence of the ongoing conflict there. We repeat our demand for immediate de-escalation. " The US Central Command later confirmed the attack on the ship, stating it breached the US blockade on Iranian ports by trying to transport oil from Iran. They mentioned that one of their warplanes fired on the tanker in the Gulf of Oman, disabling it as it was attempting to carry oil from Iran. US Central Command indicated on X that the crew of the Palau-flagged Settebello "consistently failed to follow orders from American forces".
India called in the acting ambassador from Washington to New Delhi to express a "strong complaint" regarding the attack, a high-ranking Indian official informed news agency AFP. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for worldwide fuel shipments, has been nearly entirely obstructed since the beginning of the Middle East conflict, which started with US-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February. Negotiations during a delicate ceasefire that has been in effect over the past few weeks have not resulted in an agreement to reopen the strait. While Iran has been blocking the shipping route since the conflict started, the US has implemented its own opposing blockade since April.
