India protests after US strikes kill three Indian seafarers in Gulf
India has lodged a “strong protest” after three Indian seafarers were killed in US military strikes against oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the first fatalities since Washington imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
The Indian government has voiced a “strong protest” after three Indian seafarers were killed in US military strikes against oil tankers traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command confirmed that its aircraft fired two Hellfire missiles at the engine room of the MT Settebello as it sailed through the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday.
The US said its forces had carried out “precision strikes” against the ship, which was sailing under the flag of the Pacific island nation of Palau, after its crew repeatedly failed to comply with instructions. The US alleged the ship was violating its military blockade of Iranian ports, which it began enforcing in April in an effort to cut off revenue and increase pressure on Tehran as peace talks have continued to falter.
After the incident, 21 of the Indian crew members onboard the MT Settebello were rescued, but three were reported missing. By Thursday, the Indian government confirmed that their bodies had been discovered on the ship, making them the first fatalities since the US imposed the blockade. The deceased were named as Patnala Suresh, chief engineer; Aditya Sharma, deck cadet; and Shivanand Chaurashiya, fitter.
India’s shipping and ports minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, called it a “profound loss to our maritime family.” The Indian government condemned the attack and summoned a senior US diplomat in response. “These attacks must cease and end,” foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a briefing. “We also call for dialogue and diplomacy so that we can have an early return to peace and stability in the region.”
The general secretary of India’s seafarers union, Manoj Yadav, stated: “I am fully convinced that US naval forces knew how many Indians and other foreign nationals were on those vessels. If the ships did not comply with instructions, they could have been detained instead.”
The Indian government said on Thursday that it was monitoring all Indian-flagged vessels and crew in the Gulf closely. The MT Settebello is one of three tankers with Indian crew that have been hit by US missiles this week, further straining already tense diplomatic relations between Delhi and Washington. India is one of the world’s largest suppliers of merchant marine labor, with Indian seafarers making up nearly 15% of the global maritime workforce.
On Monday, a US fighter jet targeted the oil tanker Marivex, setting it ablaze and forcing the Indian crew to evacuate. Washington said the ship had previously carried oil under sanction and was trying to return to an Iranian port. On Thursday, US forces struck another Indian-crewed tanker, sailing under the flag of Guinea-Bissau, which Washington alleged had attempted to transport oil from Iran through the Gulf of Oman without following instructions.
The US and Iran resumed tit-for-tat strikes this week, threatening an already fragile ceasefire and undermining efforts to reach a permanent peace deal. As of Thursday, the US said it had disabled nine non-compliant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and redirected 135 others since its blockade began.
