Oman rescues Indian seafarers after U.S. strikes tanker off coast
Three Indian crewmen died after the Settebello was struck off Oman, while Omani forces raced to pull 24 sailors from another tanker hit in the Gulf of Oman.
Omani military crews pulled Indian seafarers from burning tankers off the coast of Oman as U.S. strikes on Iran-linked shipping deepened the crisis in the Gulf of Oman. On the Palau-flagged MT Settebello, three Indian crew members were first reported missing and later confirmed dead after bodies were recovered and identified, the first reported fatalities since the blockade began on April 13.
The U.S. military said the Settebello violated a blockade on Iran-linked shipping after ignoring repeated instructions. Indian officials responded by summoning a senior U.S. diplomat and lodging a strong protest over what they called deeply worrisome attacks on commercial vessels. India said its embassy in Muscat was monitoring the situation and coordinating with Omani authorities, as the ship, which was sailing from Lianyungang to Fujairah, became the latest flashpoint in a widening maritime confrontation.
A separate tanker, MT Marivex, was also struck this week. Omani authorities rescued all 24 Indian crew members aboard after distress calls said the vessel was on fire and sinking following a missile strike in the engine room. Indian and regional reports credited the Omani military with the rescue, and Indian officials thanked Oman for its swift response. Another vessel, MT Jalveer, was reported hit off Oman on June 11, and India said all 20 Indian crew members aboard were safe.
The attacks have heightened scrutiny of U.S. enforcement against Iran-linked shipping and the danger facing civilian crews crossing two of the world’s most sensitive waterways. Reports say U.S. forces have disabled eight ships and turned back more than 100 others since the blockade began, while Indian officials and seafarer representatives have warned that the strikes place merchant sailors at unacceptable risk. The growing toll has put new pressure on maritime powers to explain the rules governing commercial shipping and to protect crews transiting the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
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