India summoned the US charge d’affaires on Wednesday after a US strike on the commercial vessel Settebello off Oman left three Indian crew members missing. The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack and called for de-escalation in the region.
The Ministry of External Affairs stated that of the 24 Indian seafarers on board the Palau-flagged Settebello, 21 have been rescued and three are missing. India’s embassy in Oman is coordinating with local authorities on the search and rescue operation. The incident occurred two days after US forces disabled another vessel, the M/T Marivex, from which all 24 Indian crew members were rescued. The ministry described the attacks on shipping as a direct result of the ongoing regional conflict and urged an end to targeting commercial vessels. A sailors’ union reported that two of the missing seafarers had died, identifying them as Aditya Sharma and Shivanand Chaurasiya, with chief engineer Patnala Suresh still unaccounted for. India summoned US Deputy Chief of Mission Jason Meeks to lodge a strong protest, noting that Ambassador Sergio Gor was abroad.
