3 Indian sailors dead after US attacks commercial vessel off Oman

Three Indian sailors on a commercial vessel hit by the United States off the coast of Oman are dead, New Delhi’s shipping minister said on Thursday.

“It is deeply unfortunate to learn of the tragic incident aboard the Palau-flagged MT Settebello,” Sarbananda Sonowal said in a statement, referring to the strike on the vessel a day earlier.

“Sadly, three Indian seafarers initially reported missing are now confirmed dead after bodies have been located and identified.”

India’s foreign ministry summoned a top US diplomat in Delhi after the US attack on Wednesday on MT Settebello to lodge “a strong protest”.

The US ⁠military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said a US aircraft had carried out a precision strike on the Palau-flagged oil products tanker Settebello in the ‌Gulf of Oman.

It “fired precision munitions into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces”, CENTCOM said.

Family members of Shivanand Chaurasia, one of the sailors who died, ‌told reporters he had gone to sea about nine months ago and had told his father earlier this week that everything was fine.