India's Ministry of External Affairs confirmed to Al Jazeera on Wednesday that it had summoned Jason Meeks, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in New Delhi. The incident occurred when US forces opened fire on the Settebello, an oil and chemical tanker, off Oman's coast, leaving three Indian sailors missing.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had carried out a "precision" attack on the Settebello on Tuesday evening as it transited the Gulf of Oman carrying Iranian oil, alleging the crew failed to comply with instructions from US forces. The vessel reported an engine room fire about 20 nautical miles (37 km) northeast of Oman's port of Sohar, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). Oman's navy responded to the Settebello's mayday signal, according to maritime risk management firm Vanguard.
Twenty-one Indian crew members have been rescued and three remain missing, India's Foreign Ministry said, condemning the violence and calling for an end to attacks on commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure in the region. "Our embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and actively coordinating with Omani authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operation," the ministry said.
Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), on Wednesday condemned "any actions by any party that endanger the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping". "This is completely unacceptable. My thoughts are with the families of the three missing seafarers and all those awaiting news of the crew members," he added.
The incident has raised legal and ethical questions around the US naval blockade of Iran, which has negatively affected Washington's allies. It may also further damage India-US relations, which experts say are at their lowest point in decades.
India's government is facing growing pressure from the opposition to publicly challenge the US over the attack, after failing to protest a separate US strike on a vessel carrying Indian crew earlier this week. Since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28, at least two other Indian-flagged vessels have been attacked. India summoned Iran's ambassador in April over similar attacks. President Donald Trump ordered a naval blockade on Iran in mid-April to force Tehran to accept his terms for a permanent end to the war. The blockade is said to have significantly reduced Iran's oil exports, though Iranian officials have shown no signs of yielding to Washington's demands.
