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Before their departure, Indian Ambassador to Oman, Prashant Pise, interacted with the crew members, conveyed his best wishes and commended their resilience during what the embassy described as a difficult period.
The 21 Indian crew members met Indian Ambassador to Oman, Prashant Pise, before departing for India
New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 16, 2026 13:30 IST
Twenty-one Indian crew members of the Palau-flagged vessel MT Settebello are returning home safely after being rescued following a deadly attack off the coast of Oman, the Indian Embassy in Oman said. While 21 Indian crew members were successfully rescued, three Indian seafarers lost their lives in the incident, the embassy said.
Before their departure, Indian Ambassador to Oman, Prashant Pise, interacted with the crew members, conveyed his best wishes and commended their resilience during what the embassy described as a difficult period. The embassy reiterated its commitment to the welfare and safety of Indian nationals.
According to the embassy, MT Settebello was around 30 nautical miles off the coast of Sohar, Oman, when the attack took place. The Oman Maritime Security Centre was informed immediately, following which the relevant Omani authorities were alerted for search and rescue operations.
Following attacks on the merchant vessels Marivex, Settebello and Jalveer on June 8, 9 and 11 respectively, India summoned top US diplomat Jason Meeks for a second time last week, describing the American military's strikes on commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members off the coast of Oman as "unacceptable." New Delhi said the use of "lethal and deadly" force undermined the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a call with his US counterpart Marco Rubio, "reiterated India's strong protest." "Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified," he said. In response, a defiant Rubio stressed that all commercial vessels must comply with orders from US forces to uphold peace and security in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that both Settebello and Marivex had violated the naval blockade and were attempting to ship Iranian oil. However, while Marivex reported the attack to seafarers’ unions, Settebello’s managing firm, IOS Marine FZE, contradicted the US claim, saying the vessel had been stationary for 10 days and had received no communication from the US Navy. It also denied any links to Iranian oil or ports.
Meanwhile, Meeks was called to the Ministry of External Affairs headquarters a day after the government said three Indian crew members of a tanker were killed in the US action. India had said on Thursday that three merchant vessels with Indian crew members came under attack by the American military off Oman this week, marking New Delhi's first public acknowledgement that the US Navy had targeted the three ships.
Additional Secretary (Americas) Nagaraj Naidu lodged a strong protest with Meeks over the attacks. The senior US diplomat had also been summoned on Wednesday night. In a statement, the MEA said a strong protest had been conveyed over the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners in the Gulf of Oman, which had already led to the "tragic and avoidable loss of three Indian lives."
The ministry said it had again expressed deep concern over the use of force against civilian shipping. It said such actions were unacceptable and harmed the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce in a sensitive region at a difficult time. The MEA added that Meeks had been asked to convey India's concerns to his authorities and to ensure that US forces operating in the region took all necessary steps to prevent further loss of civilian life.
A Palau-flagged oil tanker, Marivex, carrying 24 Indian seafarers, was attacked by US forces on June 8, with all crew members later rescued safely. On June 10, the US struck another Palau-flagged tanker, Settebello, killing three of the 24 Indian sailors on board. Another vessel, Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker with 20 Indians on board, was attacked on Thursday.
CENTCOM said that both Settebello and Marivex had violated the blockade and were attempting to ship Iranian oil. However, while Marivex reported the attack to seafarers’ unions, Settebello’s managing firm, IOS Marine FZE, contradicted the US claim, saying the vessel had been stationary for 10 days and had received no communication from the US Navy. It also denied any links to Iranian oil or ports.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday that the three separate strikes on Settebello, Marivex and Jalveer "came from the US Navy."
He said two of the three vessels were under sanctions administered by the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, while another had been classified as non-compliant. The Office of Foreign Assets Control is the financial intelligence and enforcement agency of the US Treasury Department and acts against vessels accused of violating US sanctions on the sale of Iranian and Russian oil.
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Published By:
Sayan Ganguly
Published On:
Jun 16, 2026 13:30 IST
