Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has confirmed that three Indian seafarers, who were initially reported missing, have died following a US military strike on a commercial vessel off the coast of Oman. The casualties occurred after the US Central Command utilized precision munitions to target and disable the Palau-flagged oil tanker, the MT Settebello. The US military justified the action by alleging that the ship had repeatedly failed to follow its instructions and was carrying oil from Iran in violation of an active naval blockade.
The MT Settebello was transiting the strategic Gulf of Oman with a total crew of 28 members when the attack took place. Among the crew members were 24 Indian nationals and four foreign nationals from Pakistan, Ukraine, and Russia. While a swift rescue operation succeeded in pulling 21 Indian sailors to safety, three remained unaccounted for in the immediate aftermath of the strike.
Minister Sonowal described the loss as “deeply unfortunate” and a tragic blow to the maritime community, confirming that the bodies of the missing sailors have been located and identified. In response to the fatal incident, India’s Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure. New Delhi has officially raised serious concerns with US authorities regarding the safety of Indian nationals working on commercial vessels in the region, emphasizing that attacks endangering seafarers are entirely unacceptable and calling for an immediate de-escalation of regional tensions.
