Three Indian seafarers were killed after the United States forces struck a commercial tanker off the coast of Oman, amid the war in West Asia, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Thursday.
This came a day after New Delhi summoned a senior American diplomat to register its protest against the strike in the Gulf of Oman, ANI reported.
The Forward Seamen’s Union of India General Secretary Manoj Yadav identified the three dead as chief engineer Patnala Suresh, deck cadet Aditya Sharma and engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya, The Hindu reported.
The three are from Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, Yadav told ANI.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that three Indian crew members were missing and 21 others had been rescued from the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello.
The ministry then summoned Jason Meeks, the US Chargé d’Affaires in New Delhi, over the attack.
On Tuesday, the US Central Command said that it had disabled the vessel Settebello after it violated the American blockade restricting maritime traffic linked to Iran. The ship was reportedly attempting to transport oil from Iran.
“A US aircraft fired precision munitions into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces,” the military agency said.
The strike came a day after another tanker, Marivex, carrying 24 Indian seafarers, was also targeted by the US forces for allegedly violating the blockade. All 24 Indian crew members on board the Marivex were rescued.
On Wednesday, the ministry of external affairs condemned the attack on Settebello and reiterated its call for “immediate de-escalation of tensions and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region”.
It added: “The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region in keeping with international law must be restored at the earliest.”
India raises attacks on commercial ships at UNSC
India on Wednesday told the United Nations Security Council as well that several of its nationals had been killed or are missing in attacks linked to the West Asia conflict, The Hindu reported.
Speaking at a UNSC meeting, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Harish Parvathaneni, said that New Delhi is firmly opposed to attacks on merchant shipping.
“Our trade and energy supply chains are dependent on stability in the region and any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy,” The Hindu quoted him as saying.
“The mounting destruction and deaths and cessation of normal life and economic activities have deeply impacted India, a proximate neighbour with critical stakes in the security and stability of the region,” he said.
Written by Tanya Shrivastava. Edited by Neerad Pandharipande.
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