Three Indian sailors missing after US strike on tanker in Gulf of Oman

New Delhi has summoned the US deputy envoy as a second attack on a merchant vessel in one week leaves three Indian crew members unaccounted for.

The waters of the Gulf of Oman have once again turned into a flashpoint for India’s merchant navy. Following a precision strike by US military aircraft on the Palau-flagged Settebello, the government in New Delhi has confirmed that three Indian sailors are missing. While 21 other Indian crew members have been successfully rescued, the incident marks the second time in a week that a vessel with an Indian crew has come under American fire in these volatile shipping lanes.

US Central Command claims the Settebello was disabled after repeatedly ignoring orders to halt, alleging the vessel was violating an American blockade by attempting to transport Iranian oil. The military stated that "precision munitions" were deployed directly into the tanker’s engine room. This aggressive enforcement follows the implementation of a US-led blockade on Iranian ports, a move initiated on April 13 as the regional conflict continues to spiral. According to Centcom, American forces have now disabled eight vessels and forced 134 others to divert their course.

A Growing Diplomatic Crisis

The frustration in South Block is palpable. By summoning the deputy head of the US mission in Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs has signaled that the current status quo—where commercial shipping is increasingly treated as collateral damage—is untenable. The official government line is sharp: "the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end."

This latest strike comes on the heels of the Marivex incident earlier this week, another Palau-flagged tanker that was fired upon by US forces. While the Omani military managed to rescue all 24 crew members from the Marivex, the recurring nature of these strikes has sparked alarm among maritime unions and families back home. Reports are currently conflicting regarding the casualties; while government sources cite three missing, some local unions have raised concerns about potential fatalities, highlighting the fog of war that shrouds the region.

The Bigger Picture

Why does this matter? The Strait of Hormuz is a global artery, carrying roughly 20% of the world’s oil and gas. As the conflict between the US and Iran intensifies—fueled by the collapse of a two-week ceasefire—merchant vessels have become pawns in a much larger geopolitical chess match. With President Donald Trump publicly threatening to hit Iran "hard" and accusing Tehran of stalling on peace deals, the maritime corridor has effectively become a combat zone.

For India, the stakes are existential. We are not just talking about cargo; we are talking about the lives of our seafarers caught in the crosshairs of a war they have no hand in. As long as the US maintains its blockade and Iran continues to test the boundaries of these restrictions, Indian sailors will continue to face the brunt of this escalation. The recurring pattern of these strikes suggests that until a durable diplomatic solution is reached, the safety of Indian crews in the Gulf remains in grave jeopardy.