Three Indian Seafarers Missing After US Strikes Oil Tanker in Gulf of Oman
The United States military disabled the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello, claiming it violated a blockade, leaving three Indian crew members missing and 21 rescued, prompting India to summon a US diplomat.
The U.S. Central Command said an aircraft fired precision munitions into the engine room of the Palau-flagged oil tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman after the crew allegedly ignored repeated directions from American forces. The strike, described as part of a blockade aimed at vessels attempting to move oil from Iran, left three Indian sailors unaccounted for while 21 Indian crew members were rescued.
India’s government responded by summoning the deputy head of the U.S. mission in Delhi and issued a statement that “targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end.”
Since the blockade began on 13 April, U.S. forces have disabled eight vessels and redirected 134 others, according to Centcom. The incident follows a similar attack earlier in the week on another Palau-flagged tanker, the Marivex, which also carried an Indian crew.
The actions occur amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, with both sides exchanging strikes after the downing of a U.S. helicopter and ongoing disputes over the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for global oil supplies.
