Three Indian sailors killed in US attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz

Three Indian sailors were killed in attacks on at least three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz this week as the US intensified its naval blockade of Iranian ports.

India on Wednesday summoned a senior US diplomat in New Delhi to demand an explanation after US forces struck a Palau-flagged vessel off the coast of Oman, killing three Indian sailors. Hours earlier, the US also bombed another Palau-flagged vessel with 24 Indian crew members off the coast of Oman.

On Thursday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces had “disabled” a third oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after it “violated the blockade against Iran by attempting to transport Iranian oil”.

By Friday morning, President Donald Trump and Iranian officials were both optimistic about the possibility of reaching a deal to at least extend the fragile ceasefire between the two countries, mediated by Islamabad in April. But for thousands of sailors trapped on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, peace remained elusive.

The attacks on vessels with Indian crew also mark the latest flashpoint in US-India relations, already at their lowest point in President Trump’s second term. Trump is expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week at the G7 summit in France.

Which vessels were attacked by the US?

Over the past four days, US forces struck three vessels carrying Indian commercial sailors.

On Monday, Manoj Yadav, General Secretary of the Indian Seafarers' Union, said he received panicked calls from the Indian crew of the Palau-flagged Marivex, pleading for help.

“Fire on ship, fire on ship. And ship is sinking,” one crew member said in a message. “US Navy attack, missile hit our engine room. We have a hole in the bottom… 24 crew. All Indian. Please help quickly.”

All were rescued by Omani forces and taken to an island off the Omani coast after the distress call.

CENTCOM later confirmed that an F-18 Super Hornet from the USS Abraham Lincoln “fired a precision munition into the engineering and steering spaces” to disable the sanctioned vessel.

The next day, the US struck the Palau-flagged Settebello, killing three Indian sailors. US forces said the vessel had violated the blockade on Iranian ports. The remaining 21 Indian crew members were rescued.

On Thursday, the Indian embassy in Oman said it was investigating another incident involving a vessel off the port of Shinas in Oman, which occurred early in the morning.

Yadav said the latest targeted vessel, MT Jalveer, had 20 Indian crew members. “This is a serious concern. The past three days have wiped out any small hope after the ceasefire,” he told Al Jazeera. “Suddenly, attacks over the past three days show Indian sailors are being targeted.”

Yadav argued that US forces could have taken control of the vessel instead of firing a missile at it. “These are commercial ships, not warships,” he said. “But US forces did not fire a warning shot; they fired a lethal missile that would certainly destroy the ship and kill the sailors.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei condemned the “brutal US attacks,” which he said were “clear evidence of America’s policy of armed robbery and state piracy.”

“The international community must hold the US accountable for its lawless behavior, which continues to threaten global peace and security while endangering maritime freedom,” he added in a statement.

In a statement late Wednesday, International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said he “strongly” condemned “any actions by any party that endanger the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping. This is completely unacceptable.”

Have Indian sailors been attacked before?

Yes. Indian sailors have repeatedly been on the front line in the Strait of Hormuz, though Iran has allowed some Indian vessels to pass at certain times since the US-Israel war with Iran began. Iran closed the strait shortly after the war broke out, threatening to fire on any vessel trying to pass, but occasionally allowed ships from countries it considers “friendly” to transit.

The first reported fatality came just days after the war, on March 1. An Indian sailor on the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MKD Vyom was killed when the ship was hit by an unmanned surface missile off the coast of Oman. No one claimed responsibility, though CENTCOM blamed Iranian forces.

The same day, an attack on the Palau-flagged oil tanker Skylight near Oman’s Musandam peninsula killed two Indian sailors, while a third was reported missing.

Two Indian vessels were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on April 18. India’s Deputy Foreign Minister Vikram Misri summoned Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, to express India’s “deep concern” over the incidents.

On May 8, another Indian sailor was killed when a wooden boat carrying Indian sailors caught fire near the Strait of Hormuz.

These attacks were not immediately attributed by Indian officials but were believed to originate from Iran.

In total, at least seven Indian sailors have been killed in the war so far.

How has India responded?

New Delhi has sent diplomatic protest notes. On Wednesday, it summoned Jason Meeks, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in the Indian capital, to express “deep concern over the ongoing attacks.”

“It is extremely unfortunate to learn about the tragic incident on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello,” Indian Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said in a statement, confirming the three Indians initially reported missing had been confirmed dead.

On Thursday, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal noted the US attacks on three vessels with Indian crew this week.

“These attacks must stop and end,” he told reporters. “We also call for dialogue and diplomacy so that peace and stability can return to the region as soon as possible.”

Jason Chuah, a professor of maritime law at City St George’s, University of London, told Al Jazeera that the deaths of Indian sailors on a Palau-registered vessel – both non-parties to the conflict – were likely to cause “some serious diplomatic headaches.”

“From Palau’s perspective, it is reasonable to argue that neutral-flagged, non-combatant vessels should be afforded stronger protection during a blockade,” he said.

“However, the tricky part is that even if most people think [the attack] is wrong, doing something about it is a completely different story. That is always the nightmare with international law. Knowing something is illegal and actually holding someone accountable are two very different things.”

Is it legal to bomb non-combatant ships?

The Strait of Hormuz passes through the territorial waters of Oman and Iran, with its outer edge extending into the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates. It is not in international waters. However, international maritime law still applies to any natural strait, such as Hormuz, used for international shipping.

Under Article 38 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), all vessels and aircraft enjoy the right of transit passage, which cannot be suspended by any state. Article 17 of the convention stipulates that all foreign vessels also have the right of innocent passage in any state's territorial waters, and Article 19 states that passage is considered innocent as long as it does not prejudice the peace, good order, or security of the coastal state.

Furthermore, under international humanitarian law, deliberately targeting non-combatant vessels is illegal.

An Indian captain who has served in the merchant navy for decades, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is still on active duty and not authorized to speak to the press, told Al Jazeera: “It is unacceptable to bomb non-combatant ships with unarmed crew who pose no threat to the security of the coastal state.”

Chuah said the US attack on civilian cargo ships was “legally somewhat murky.”

“The [US] blockade itself may be okay under the law of war – but there is a key question of proportionality. It can certainly be argued that firing on an oil tanker and killing the crew goes far beyond proportionality,” he said.

However, Chuah added that there is another view that the threshold for use of force in enforcing a blockade in wartime is higher than in peacetime.

“This means that blockade enforcement actions may go beyond simply stopping cargo vessels,” he said. “Seizure and destruction may be allowed in limited circumstances. But it would be an intellectual distortion to justify or excuse the killing of civilian commercial sailors with knowledge and intent.”

What protections do Indian sailors have?

According to India’s Directorate General of Shipping, more than 300,000 Indian sailors serve in global fleets.

To ensure sailor safety, India’s Merchant Shipping Act of 1958 provides a framework for complaints and resolution, and protects sailors' rights. The law also protects Indian sailors injured at sea.

In the event that an Indian sailor is injured and dies on a foreign-registered vessel while on the high seas, “the jurisdiction of the relevant flag administration is to investigate the cause of the accident or criminal incident,” and the Indian government will participate as an observer in any such investigation, the act states.

Meanwhile, if “any accident involving death or injury of any sailor of any nationality on a foreign-registered vessel” occurs when the vessel is near the Indian coast, the incident may be investigated by an Indian officer.

The Indian Maritime Union provides legal and financial support to Indian sailors in crisis, beyond insurance and compensation provided by shipowners.

However, there are few protections for sailors if their vessel chooses to pass through blockaded straits, according to the Indian merchant navy captain.

He explained that when commercial vessels try to pass through a blockaded strait, ideally they must persuade the governments of their flag states to initiate collective action through a multinational naval task force, such as the United Nations, to ensure the vessels are protected during transit.

“Once the ship decides to make the journey, to minimize potential danger, only the minimum number of crew are kept on the bridge [navigation point] and in the engine room [where propulsion occurs]. All other crew stay away from the forward part of the deck to avoid the possibility of a direct hit from a missile or drone,” he said.

However, the latest wave of escalation between Iran and the US has left Indian sailors terrified of sailing in Gulf waters, according to Yadav.

“Everyone is living under a great threat, waiting there like sitting ducks,” he said. “The US military has shown they do not value Indian lives.”