Three Indian seafarers have died after a vessel was attacked by US forces off the coast of Oman earlier this week, India’s Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, calling it a “tragic” incident.
The minister said the bodies of all three sailors, who were earlier reported missing, have now been recovered.
The Palau-flagged oil tanker Settebello carried 28 crew members, including 24 Indians and four foreign nationals — two Pakistanis, one Ukrainian and one Russian — when it came under attack in the Gulf of Oman, according to Indian officials and reports cited by NDTV.
The US military said it struck the vessel after it allegedly failed to follow instructions and was carrying oil from Iran.
It was initially reported that 21 Indian sailors were rescued, while three remained missing after the incident.
In a post on X, Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said it was deeply unfortunate that the missing sailors had been confirmed dead after their bodies were located and identified.
He described the incident as a “profound loss” for the maritime community and said the Indian government would support the families and ensure repatriation of the crew and the remains of the deceased.
The ship’s management company, according to NDTV, faced difficulties in maintaining stable communication with the remaining crew on board after the attack.
The US Central Command later acknowledged the strike, saying the vessel violated an ongoing blockade on Iranian oil and attempted to transport oil from Iran.
It said one of its warplanes fired on the tanker in the Gulf of Oman, disabling it after the crew allegedly failed to comply with instructions.
India has condemned the attack, saying 24 Indian nationals were on board as the vessel attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
A senior Indian official told news agency AFP that India has also lodged a strong protest with Washington’s charge d’affaires in New Delhi.
The Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route, has remained highly unstable amid ongoing regional conflict and competing restrictions on shipping by Iran and the United States.
