'These lives could have been saved': Questions grow over US strike on tanker with Indian crew

Three Indian sailors killed in a US strike on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman could have been saved, according to maritime union representatives and a defence analyst, who have questioned whether force was used appropriately against an unarmed commercial vessel.

Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Manoj Yadav, General Secretary of the Forward Seamen's Union, and Commodore (Retd.) GJ Singh, Senior Defence Analyst and Geo-Strategic Affairs Expert, raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding the attack that claimed the lives of Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh, Deck Cadet Aditya Sharma and Engine Fitter Shivanand Chaurasia.

The deaths occurred after US forces struck the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Settebello on Wednesday. The vessel had 28 crew members on board, including 24 Indians. While 21 Indian crew members were rescued, three sailors who were initially reported missing were later confirmed dead.

Yadav said the families of the deceased sailors were devastated after receiving official confirmation from the government.

"Until then, the families were hoping that they would receive some good news. But after the government's declaration, they lost all hope," he said.

The incident has also sparked debate over whether established maritime procedures were followed before the vessel was disabled.

Singh said merchant vessels are normally warned before any action is taken by naval forces. According to him, standard practice involves directing the captain to stop or alter course, followed by warning shots if instructions are ignored.

"These lives could definitely have been saved," Singh said, adding that there remained a "grey area" over why the vessel allegedly failed to comply with instructions issued by US warships.

The US Central Command has said the tanker was disabled after repeatedly violating the blockade against Iran. However, Singh questioned why a commercial vessel would deliberately attempt to breach the blockade, suggesting that details of the incident have yet to emerge fully.

"I do not believe the Americans would intentionally target an unarmed merchant vessel without reason. Merchant ships are innocent vessels and do not pose a military threat," he said.

Yadav, however, argued that the nature of the attack raised serious questions about the intent behind the operation.

"The key question is whether the intention was to warn the captain or to destroy the ship," he said.

He noted that the engine room is among the most sensitive parts of a vessel, containing fuel systems, boilers and critical machinery. "Continuing to fire into that area suggests that the objective was not merely to warn the ship," Yadav added.

Both experts also highlighted mounting risks faced by commercial shipping crews operating in waters affected by the conflict between the US and Iran.

Yadav said the union had received reports from ship masters and crew members alleging pressure from operators and employers to continue voyages through high-risk zones despite growing security concerns.

"We received reports from ship masters that they were being pressured to move vessels toward Iran and nearby areas," he said.

Singh warned that the incident would serve as a stark reminder to shipping companies and seafarers about the dangers of operating near the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.

"This profession has become extremely risky because of the war, especially for ships operating near the Strait of Hormuz and ports inside the Persian Gulf," he said.

The defence analyst also advised shipping firms to avoid the region until tensions ease, saying the ongoing confrontation between the US and Iran showed little sign of an immediate diplomatic resolution.

The union has called for broader international intervention to protect seafarers. Yadav urged the Indian government to work through a tripartite mechanism involving international bodies such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), arguing that responsibility for seafarer safety should not rest on any single country.

He said urgent discussions were needed on the safety, welfare and safe passage of Indian crew members working in the region.

The attack on MT Settebello was the second such incident involving Indian sailors in recent days. On Monday, US forces also struck the Marivex, another Palau-flagged oil tanker with an Indian crew in the Gulf of Oman. Indian authorities said all 24 crew members aboard that vessel were rescued.

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In a separate incident on Thursday, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel carrying around 20 Indian seafarers was attacked off Oman's Shinas port. The Indian government said all crew members on board MV Jalveer were safe.

India's Ministry of External Affairs has strongly condemned the attack on MT Settebello and summoned Jason Meeks, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in New Delhi, to lodge a formal protest.

The incidents have heightened concerns across the shipping industry, with nearly 2,000 commercial vessels and an estimated 23,000 Indian seafarers currently stranded near the Strait of Hormuz as the conflict between the US and Iran continues to disrupt one of the world's most important maritime trade routes.