Two Indian sailors were killed, and a chief engineer remains missing after a commercial vessel came under attack near the Strait of Hormuz, said the Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) on Thursday.
Speaking to ANI, General Secretary of FSUI Manoj Yadav said that the communications with the ship have been severely disrupted after the attack, and they are verifying the details.
“We have been unable to establish a connection with the ship. The latest information I have indicates that two have died, while the Chief Engineer is still reported as missing,” Yadav said to ANI.
Also Read: ‘Safety Of Indians Top Priority’: India Reaffirms Strong Opposition To Attacks On Commercial Shipping In Gulf
He further said that the three sailors were from different
states in India. “The three are from Himachal Pradesh, Deoria (Uttar Pradesh), and Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
‘US Naval Forces Were Aware Of Nationalities’
Yadav further alleged that the US naval forces knew the nationalities of those onboard the vessels and that they could have opted for detention if their instructions were not followed.
“I absolutely refuse to believe that the US lacked information regarding the nationalities of the people on board those ships. That is simply not possible. I am 101% certain that US naval forces knew exactly how many Indians and foreign nationals were on those vessels. If the ships failed to heed their instructions, detaining them was a viable alternative,” said Yadav.
US Attacks Commercial Vessel With Indian Crew Onboard
A commercial vessel, with 24 Indian crew onboard, was attacked off the coast of Oman on Wednesday. The missile fired by the US naval forces had torn through the engine room of the oil tanker Settebello, which had triggered a fire onboard. The tanker was near the Strait of Hormuz.
The Palau-flagged commercial ship had 28 crew aboard, out of which 24 were Indian nationals.
India Condemns Attack On Commercial Vessel Settebello
“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello off the coast of Oman, earlier today. Of the 24 Indian crew onboard, 21 Indians have been rescued thus far, and 03 Indians are reportedly missing,” said the foreign ministry in the statement.
Also Read: India Summons US Diplomat Over Strike On Vessel Carrying Indians As West Asia Conflict Intensifies
The ministry said that the attacks on shipping in the region are “deeply worrisome” and further said that they were a direct result of the US-Iran war.
“We reiterate our 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. 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 ministry said.
Nagaraj Naidu, Additional Secretary in the Foreign Ministry, summoned Jason Meeks, the United States’ chargé d’affaires, to lodge a protest over the attack on the ship.
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