India protests to US after 3 sailors die in Oman Sea
New Delhi summoned a US diplomat and demanded an end to attacks on merchant ships in the area.
India lodged a strong protest with the United States after three of its sailors died in an attack on the tanker Settebello in the Oman Sea near the Strait of Hormuz. India’s Ministry of External Affairs earlier said 21 crew members were safe and three others were missing, then Transport Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed the three had died. New Delhi also called in the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in the Indian capital, Jason Meeks, to deliver an official protest. According to CENTCOM, US forces struck the vessel on June 9 night because it was judged not to have followed instructions and to be carrying Iranian oil. The Palau-flagged ship later caught fire in the engine room. Oman authorities also responded to the emergency call near Sohar, while India urged an end to attacks on commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure.