three-indian-sailors-dead-in-us-attack-on-settebello-oil-tanker

Three Indian sailors were killed in a US attack on the Settebello oil tanker off the coast of Oman on Tuesday night, authorities confirmed on Thursday.

 

India's Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed on Thursday that all three missing Indian seafarers had died. While two deaths were immediately confirmed by official sources, the body of one sailor remained missing for two days.

 

Citing Manoj Yadav, General Secretary of the Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI), the two sailors killed in the attack were identified as Aditya Sharma, a deck cadet, and Shivanand Chaurasiya, an engine fitter. Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh remains missing, he added.

Following the attack, India summoned the US Deputy Chief of Mission, Jason Meeks, on Wednesday and lodged a strong protest.

 

US CENTCOM, which is responsible for operations in the Gulf, said it carried out a "precision" strike on the Settebello as it transited the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday evening. It claimed that the tanker was carrying Iranian oil and that the crew had failed to comply with instructions issued by US forces.

 

Meanwhile, the situation in the Middle East remains highly volatile, with the fragile ceasefire appearing to be at a tipping point.

 

Although US President Donald Trump has said that US actions against Iran are now complete, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders have warned that Trump and his forces will pay dearly for the attack.

 

Also read: 24 Indians rescued after tanker hit off Oman coast