A federal minister stated that three Indian seafarers, who had gone missing, have died following an attack by U.S. forces on a vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
Tthe Palau-flagged MT Settebello came under attack On Wednesday, following allegations by the U.S. military that it had failed to adhere to instructions from American forces, there were 24 Indian sailors aboard, with 21 of them being saved.
In a post on X India's Transport Minister Sarbananda Sonowal described the event as "very tragic," stating that the remains of the three individuals would be returned shortly.
After the attack on Wednesday, the Indian authorities called for the second-in-command at the American embassy in Delhi.
The U.S. armed forces alleged that Settebello breached an American embargo by "trying to move oil out of Iran."
In a post on X The U.S. Central Command stated that an aircraft launched "precise weapons" into the engine room of the vessel "following repeated failures" by the crew to comply with orders.
This is the second ship manned by Indian sailors which has faced criticism from the US this week. On Monday, U.S. forces targeted the Marivex, another oil tanker flying the flag of Palau with an Indian crew, in the Gulf of Oman following its failure to adhere to American directives, according to Centcom.
The Omani military saved all 24 crew members, according to Indian officials.
Following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Tehran, which serves as a critical route for approximately 20% of global oil and natural gas shipments, the U.S. military restricted entry into Iranian ports amid the current hostilities.
U.S. troops have neutralized eight ships and diverted 134 more since starting the embargo on April 13, as reported by Centcom.
The Indian administration has stated that "the targeting of merchant vessels and public facilities in the area should come to an end."
Manoj Yadav, the general secretary of the Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI), previously informed the media that they have started contacting the relatives of the seafarers to notify them about their passing.
Yadav stated to The Economic Times publication that he "found it hard to accept" that the United States was unaware of the nationalities of individuals aboard those vessels.
"Detaining the vessels was a feasible option if they did not follow their orders," he stated.
In the meantime, conflicts between Iran and the United States continue without showing any indication of improvement. The two nations have carried out attacks against each other for another day in a row, putting more strain a delicate truce reached in April.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump warned of launching a strong attack on Iran, claiming that the negotiations for a peace agreement were progressing too slowly and that Iran was deceiving the American people.
The conflict started on February 28, following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran that resulted in the death of the nation's top leader.
Iran retaliated by carrying out strikes against Israel and U.S.-aligned nations in the Gulf. The violence intensified rapidly throughout the area, leading Lebanon to become involved in the clash in March.
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