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.
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