India on Wednesday summoned US charge d’affaires Jason Meeks to register its protest over the second US attack on a commercial vessel, Settebello, off the coast of Oman, following which three Indian seafarers are missing while 21 were rescued on Tuesday.

The US military said in a post on X that it fired precision munitions into the engine room of an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, disabling the vessel, after the crew failed to comply with directions from American forces.

This is the second time this week that a vessel with an Indian crew has come under fire from the US, which is carrying out a naval blockade of Iranian ports and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

While the external affairs ministry had confirmed that a Palau-flagged oil
vessel with an Indian crew, MT Marivex, had been targeted by the US on Monday, this is the first time India has condemned the US action.

According to the ministry, the Indian embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities on the ongoing search-and-rescue operation. Settebello is an oil tanker and is also Palau-flagged.

In its statement, the ministry also said the continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict, reiterating New Delhi’s call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and conclusion of the ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution.

“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.”

The UKMTO, a British military organisation that tracks movements of
various vessels in strategic waterways, however, said the vessel reported one casualty and two missing.

On Monday’s incident, ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said that the ship MT Marivex was disabled off the coast of Oman.

“We have learned that it is a Palau-flagged vessel. We also understand there was some exchange of communication between the ship and the US Navy before the incident,” he had said on Tuesday.

All 24 Indian crew members were rescued from the vessel with the help of Omani authorities.

Tensions have heightened in the Gulf region, with the US launching airstrikes against Iran, which retaliated by firing missiles at Gulf countries.