India summoned a senior US diplomat to protest a US military strike on the Palau-flagged vessel Settebello off the coast of Oman, which left three Indian seafarers missing and 21 rescued. The US said it struck the tanker for failing to comply with instructions amid a naval blockade of Iran. The incident is the second US attack on a ship with an Indian crew in a week, drawing condemnation from India and international maritime authorities.
US strike on Settebello vessel
- ▪The US military stated the strike occurred after the Settebello's crew, which was transporting Iranian oil, failed to comply with instructions
- ▪The US strike fired precision munitions into the Settebello's engine room, disabling the vessel and causing a fire
- ▪The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted a "precision" strike on the Palau-flagged vessel Settebello in the Gulf of Oman
Missing Indian seafarers
- ▪The Omani navy responded to the Settebello's distress call and is assisting in the search and rescue operation
- ▪The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency reported one casualty and two missing from the Settebello incident
- ▪Three Indian seafarers are missing and 21 were rescued from the Settebello, which had 24 Indian sailors on board
India summons US diplomat
- ▪India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Jason Meeks, the US Embassy’s deputy chief of mission in New Delhi, to protest the strike
- ▪India's Foreign Ministry condemned the violence and called for an end to attacks on commercial shipping in the region
US naval blockade of Iran
- ▪The strike occurred amid a US naval blockade of Iran ordered by President Donald Trump in mid-April
- ▪The blockade aims to pressure Iran into a deal to end the US-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28
Attacks on commercial shipping
- ▪The International Maritime Organization condemned the attack, stating any act endangering seafarers is "simply unacceptable."
- ▪On Monday, the US targeted another Palau-flagged vessel, MT Marivex, which also had an all-Indian crew of 24 who were later rescued
- ▪The attack on the Settebello was the second time in a week that US forces fired on a vessel with an Indian crew
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