WANA (Jun 11) – The Indian government has confirmed the deaths of three Indian mariners who went missing after a U.S. military strike on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman on Tuesday.

 

India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, confirmed today that all three missing crew members lost their lives. Local media, quoting Manoj Yadav, General Secretary of the Forward Seamen’s Union of India, identified two of the deceased as deck cadet Aditya Sharma and engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasia. Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh, who was initially reported missing, is now also confirmed dead.

 

In response to the incident, New Delhi summoned the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, Jason Meeks, to lodge a strong diplomatic protest. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack and noted that it had been actively coordinating with Omani authorities during the search and rescue operations.

 

US Command Confirms Strike

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the strike, alleging that the tanker was carrying Iranian oil and that the crew had refused to comply with orders from U.S. naval forces.

 

The targeted vessel, the Seteblo, was carrying 24 Indian crew members, 21 of whom were successfully rescued.

 

Conflicting Initial Reports

Initial assessments regarding the cause of the incident varied. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) initially reported that the vessel had suffered an engine room fire. However, maritime risk management firm Vanguard stated that the tanker issued a distress signal after being struck by a missile that ignited the blaze, prompting a rescue response from the Royal Navy of Oman.