Three Indian sailors have been killed after a U.S. military strike on a commercial tanker in the Gulf of Oman, India's shipping minister has confirmed. The incident has sparked diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Washington.
The vessel, identified as the Palau-flagged MT Settebello, was struck on Wednesday after the U.S. military accused it of failing to comply with instructions from American forces.
According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), an aircraft fired precision munitions into the tanker's engine room after the crew "repeatedly failed" to follow directions.
The ship was carrying 24 Indian nationals. Twenty-one crew members were rescued, while three were confirmed dead.
India's Shipping Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, described the incident as "deeply unfortunate" and said the bodies of the deceased sailors would be repatriated.
Following the strike, India's foreign ministry summoned the deputy head of the U.S. mission in New Delhi to lodge a formal protest over the incident.
Indian authorities said they were seeking further clarification on the circumstances surrounding the attack while stressing concerns about the safety of commercial shipping and civilian crews operating in the region.
The Forward Seamen's Union of India also questioned the use of force, arguing that detaining the vessel would have been a safer alternative than carrying out a strike.
The Settebello incident came days after another Palau-flagged tanker with an Indian crew, the Marivex, was also struck in the Gulf of Oman after allegedly failing to comply with U.S. instructions, according to CENTCOM.
All 24 crew members aboard that vessel were rescued by Omani authorities.
The repeated incidents have heightened concerns over maritime security in the Gulf of Oman and surrounding waters, a key global shipping corridor near the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world's oil trade passes.
CENTCOM said the operations were part of efforts to enforce restrictions on vessels accused of transporting Iranian oil in violation of U.S. measures in the region.
The incident comes amid ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions, which have repeatedly disrupted maritime traffic and increased security risks for commercial shipping.
The U.S. military said it completed its latest wave of strikes on Iran, a two-hour operation that hit dozens of targets. Washington described the stri...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has warned that a failure to quickly resolve restrictions on Armenian exports could mark “the beginning of t...
Three firefighters have died as wildfires continue to burn across Greece, with Crete facing a second day of intense blazes driven by strong winds. The...
French DJ and electropop musician Kavinsky, whose atmospheric sound shaped a generation of electronic music fans, has died at the age of 50, French authorities said on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia said its overnight strikes on Iran-backed group targets in Iraq were carried out in self-defence and warned it would take further military action if the groups launched new attacks against the kingdom.
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "good chance" of a deal with Tehran but warned strikes could resume if talks failed.
Moscow should stop linking Russia-Armenia relations to Azerbaijan, Baku's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada has said, after Russia again raised the Collective Security Treaty Organisation's role during the former Garabagh conflict.
A fire involving two gas vessels at Egypt's Damietta port has prompted conflicting reports over whether the incident was caused by a drone strike or an onboard technical fault. Egyptian authorities said there were no casualties.
The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Japan’s southwestern Kumamoto prefecture has risen to 30, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Thursday, as water and power shortages left survivors exposed to extreme summer heat.
Australia's internet regulator said on Thursday it had begun legal action against messaging platform Telegram over alleged failings to tackle pro-terror posts.
Residents across southern Japan are struggling with disrupted water and electricity supplies two days after a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 30th of July, covering the latest developments.
Russian air strikes killed at least 13 in Ukraine on Thursday, including one in Kyiv, in attacks extending as far as the western city of Lviv, forcing neighbouring Poland to scramble fighter jets to secure its airspace.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment