Three Indian seafarers were killed, and a fourth died from illness, in separate incidents in the Gulf of Oman this week.
The Strike on MT Settebello
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that a US aircraft fired precision munitions into the engine room of the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Settebello after the crew "repeatedly failed to comply with directions" from American forces. The vessel was transiting the Strait of Oman at the time.
CENTCOM stated that the tanker "violated the ongoing blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran."
There were 24 crew members on board, all Indian nationals. Twenty-one were rescued by the Omani Navy. The three deceased seafarers have been identified as:
- Deck cadet Aditya Sharma (from Himachal Pradesh)
- Engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya (from Uttar Pradesh)
- Chief engineer Patnala Suresh
India's Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, stated that two bodies have been recovered; the location of the third body is not specified in all reports.
CENTCOM reported that two other vessels were also struck in the same period: the Palau-flagged MT Marivex and the Guinea-flagged MT Jalveer. All three were targeted for "non-compliance" with the blockade.
Diplomatic Response
The Indian government condemned the attack. India's Ministry of External Affairs summoned the US Chargé d'Affaires in New Delhi twice in the past week to lodge a "strong protest." External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also raised the issue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "These attacks must cease and end."
Minister Sonowal directed officials to ensure the immediate repatriation of rescued crew and the swift return of the deceased for final rites.
Second Incident: Death on MT Celestial
On June 11, 2025, Second Officer Nishanth Uirthanathan, 35, from Tamil Nadu, died after falling seriously ill while serving aboard the tanker MT Celestial off the coast of Oman.
The Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI) reported that his body remained on the vessel for over two days without proper refrigeration, with crew using cold water bottles to slow decomposition. The FSUI stated that a request for medical evacuation was delayed due to regional tensions. The union is urging authorities to arrange body preservation and repatriation, provide crew support, and conduct a full investigation into the response.
Blockade Background
The US blockade on Iranian ports began on April 13. US forces have disabled eight non-compliant vessels, redirected 134 ships, and allowed 42 humanitarian aid vessels to pass.
According to the Forward Seamen Union of India, more than 30 ships with Indian crew members have been attacked by either US forces or Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) since the blockade began. The union reports that at least seven Indian seafarers have died since the war in Iran began.
India's shipping ministry reported approximately 18,000 Indian seafarers currently in the Gulf region.
Context and Conflicting Accounts
- US Position: CENTCOM stated that the attacked vessels violated a US blockade of Iranian ports and refused to comply with directions. Former Australian naval officer Jennifer Parker noted that the US blockade follows international naval law and that attacked ships would have received warnings via VHF radio.
- Union Position: Manoj Yadav, general secretary of the Forward Seamen Union of India, criticized the targeting of a vessel's engine room, suggesting that the US military could have fired in front of the vessel or made more effort to communicate.
- Iranian Denial: US President Donald Trump accused Iran of a drone attack on Indian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran denied the accusation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not publicly commented on the incident but is expected to meet US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in France next week.