External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar lodged a strong protest with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over a US Navy strike that killed three Indian mariners aboard the MT Settebello tanker off Oman.
Jaishankar spoke with Rubio on Friday evening. He stated that lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified.
The strike occurred on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. It hit the Palau-flagged MT Settebello, which carried 24 Indian crew members. Twenty-one were rescued, and three were later confirmed dead.
Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced the deaths on Thursday. He directed officials to repatriate the rescued crew and return the bodies.
India also summoned the US Embassy Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi to convey its protest.
