Indian Ambassador to Oman, Prashant Pise, met 21 Indian sailors rescued from MT Settebello on Tuesday before they departed for India.
The seafarers were among the crew members rescued after the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello came under a US strike on June 10. Three of the 24 Indian crew members on board lost their lives in the incident.
According to the Indian Embassy, the vessel was around 30 nautical miles off the coast of Oman when it was attacked.
In a post on X, the Embassy said all 21 rescued Indian crew members were returning home safely. Before their departure, Ambassador Pise interacted with the sailors and wished them well for their journey home. He also praised their courage and resilience in facing a difficult and traumatic situation.
The Embassy said it remains committed to the safety, welfare and well-being of Indian citizens living and working abroad.
This was the second incident in which a merchant vessel carrying Indian crew members was targeted by the US military near the Oman coast.
Earlier, on June 8, US forces disabled the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Marivex, which had 24 Indian sailors on board. All crew members were rescued safely. On June 11, another vessel, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged MT Jalveer, carrying 22 Indian nationals, was evacuated after it came under attack near an Omani port.
India has termed the attacks on commercial ships "deeply worrisome" and has strongly raised the issue with the United States. The attacks come amid heightened tensions in the region after the US imposed a blockade on Iranian ports following Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy shipping routes.
Also read: Three Indian sailors dead in US attack on Settebello oil tanker
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