An oil tanker with 24 Indian crew on board was hit by a missile off the coast of Oman this Wednesday, June 10, leaving three sailors missing. Of the total 28 crew members, 21 Indians were rescued with support from Omani authorities.
The ship involved is the Settebello, a Palau-flagged oil and chemical tanker. The vessel sent a distress signal after a fire broke out in the engine compartment, about 20 nautical miles northeast of the port of Sohar, close to the Strait of Hormuz.
The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack in an official statement. “Of the 24 Indian crew members on board, 21 have been rescued so far and three are still missing,” the MEA said. The Indian embassy in Oman is monitoring the case and coordinating search and rescue operations with local authorities.
India summons US diplomat
The Indian government summoned the US chargé d’affaires in New Delhi, Jason Meeks. Additional Secretary (Americas) Nagaraj Naidu conveyed the country’s formal protest. India expressed concern about the safety of its citizens at sea and asked for explanations about the incident.
The US Central Command (Centcom) has not yet publicly commented on the action. Maritime sources indicate that the attack would have been a precision operation against ships violating a naval blockade related to tensions with Iran.
Gulf climbing context
This is the second such incident in as many days. On Monday, June 8, another tanker flying the Palauan flag was also hit in the same region. The Settebello was sailing in an area affected by restrictions imposed by the US on vessels linked to Iran amid the conflict in the region.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important sea routes in the world for transporting oil. Any disruption or increased risk to commercial shipping directly affects global energy prices and the safety of thousands of sailors, many of them Indians.
What changes for Indian crew
India has one of the largest maritime workforces in the world. Thousands of Indians serve on ships that cross high-risk routes in the Middle East. The case reinforces the need for stricter security protocols and rapid communication in conflict situations.
The search for the three missing crew members continues. Omani authorities and the Indian embassy remain mobilized.