INDIA on Thursday (11) demanded an end to US attacks on shipping after three sailors were killed in a strike on a commercial tanker off Oman.
India's foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said US attacks on ships with Indian crews “must cease and end” and called for dialogue to restore peace and stability in the region.
The comments came after three Indian sailors died when the Palau-flagged MT Settebello was hit by US forces in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday (10). Shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed the deaths, saying the sailors who were initially reported missing had been found dead and identified.
“It is deeply unfortunate to learn of the tragic incident aboard the Palau-flagged MT Settebello,” Sonowal said. He described the deaths as a loss to the maritime community and said officials had been directed to arrange the return of the bodies for final rites.
India also summoned a senior US diplomat in New Delhi to convey its concerns over the attacks, Reuters reported.
The strike on the Settebello was the third reported US attack this week involving a tanker with Indian crew. The earlier incident involved the Palau-flagged MT Marivex, which was disabled on Monday (8), with 24 Indian sailors rescued by Omani authorities.
A third vessel, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged Jalveer, was targeted on Thursday. US Central Command said a US aircraft fired two missiles into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces.
Blockade on Iran-linked shipping
Centcom said the action was taken because the vessel was attempting to transport Iranian oil through the Gulf of Oman as part of efforts to enforce a blockade on Iran-linked shipping. It said the blockade began on April 13 after Iran restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route.
The US military said it had disabled several vessels that did not comply with its instructions and redirected others during the operation.
The management company of the Settebello rejected the US claim that the vessel ignored warnings or carried Iranian crude. It said the tanker had no connection with Iran or Iranian oil and called for an independent investigation.
The deaths are the first reported fatalities since the US blockade began, according to Reuters. The International Maritime Organization also condemned any action that puts seafarers’ lives at risk.
“I strongly condemn any act from any party that endangers the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping,” IMO secretary general Arsenio Dominguez said.
India, which has more than 300,000 sailors working in global shipping fleets, said it was coordinating the evacuation of rescued crew members and the return of the deceased sailors’ remains.
(with inputs from agencies)
