3 Strikes in 3 Days: How Ships With Indian Crew Came Under Attack Amid US-Iran Conflict

Three successive attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz over the past three days have heightened tensions, threatening Indian seafarers operating in the region. The latest attack on a commercial vehicle was reported on Thursday, June 11. While the 20 sailors onboard MT Jalveer have been reported to be safe, three seafarers were killed in the attack on MT Settebello.Addressing the incidents, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India has lodged a strong protest with the United States over the attacks and underscored that the safety and welfare of its seafaring community remain of "utmost importance." The government reiterated that such incidents must stop.

What India Said on Back-To-Back Attacks

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the three ships involved in these incidents were foreign-flagged vessels. The spokesperson said that the "attacks came from the US Navy stationed in the region.""Two of them were Palau-flagged, while the third ship, which came under attack today, was Guinea-flagged. They were not Indian-owned ships; all of them were foreign-flagged vessels," Jaiswal said. "I had said that we attach high importance to the welfare and well-being of our seafaring community…When this particular attack on the ship MT Settebello occurred, we lodged a strong protest with the American side. We summoned the US Chargé d'Affaires and conveyed our deepest concern over the ongoing incidents of attacks. We also registered our strong protest with them. We emphasised that the welfare of our seafaring community is of utmost importance and that these attacks must stop. We further conveyed that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward for the peaceful resolution of the conflict, and that there should be unimpeded access through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law. Therefore, we made our position very clear on each of these points, while reiterating how important the lives, welfare, and safety of our people are," he said.

VIDEO | Delhi: Addressing a press conference, MEA spokesperson

Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) said, “I had said that we attach high importance to the welfare and well-being of our seafaring community…When this particular attack on the ship MT Settebello occurred, we lodged a strong… pic.twitter.com/axDinSTmD4

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 11, 2026

Third Vessel Comes Under Attack

A commercial vessel, MT Jalveer, has come under attack off the Oman coast, with Indian sailors reported to be on board. "The vessel has 20 Indian seafarers on board, and all of them are reported to be safe. No casualties or injuries have been reported," Additional Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Mukesh Mangal said.

Three Indians Confirmed Dead in Settebello Attack

Tanker Settebello, carrying 24 Indian nationals, was attacked off the Oman coast. Initially, 21 crew members were rescued, while three were reported to be missing. India's Shipping and Port Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, on Thursday confirmed that the three Indian nationals who went missing were confirmed to be dead.

https://youtu.be/-mQY9DfX198?si=0DF4KLkLDJnQ7Nc-

"It is deeply unfortunate to learn of the tragic incident aboard the Palau-flagged MT Settebello. Sadly, three Indian seafarers initially reported missing are now confirmed dead after bodies have been located and identified," Sarbananda Sonowal, the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, posted on X (formerly Twitter). "I have directed officials to ensure immediate repatriation of the rescued crew members and swift return of the mortal remains of the deceased for their final rites," he added. The attack was carried out by the US Central Command, which alleged that the vessel violated the ongoing US blockade of the Iranian ports by attempting to transport oil from Iran.

India's MEA Issues Demarche To Top US Diplomat

India on Wednesday summoned the US charge d'affaires to strongly protest the strike. Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks was handed demarche or diplomatic note of protests over the incident, according to a report by news agency PTI.In its official reaction, New Delhi strongly condemned the strike and said the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in West Asia must end, and free and unimpeded navigation through the international waterways should be restored at the earliest.

The FIRST Attack: 24 Rescued From MT Marivex

A fire erupted on Palau-flagged tanker MT Marivex, carrying 24 Indian seafarers, in the Gulf of Oman on Monday (June 8). Hours later, all the crew members were safely evacuated. The attack was launched by the US Navy and the rescue operation was carried out by Omani authorities.

The Indian embassy in Oman thanked the local authorities for rescuing the Indian crew members of the vessel. "We are thankful to the Omani authorities for their swift response and rescue of all the 24 crew members of Indian nationality, onboard MT Marivex, and ensuring their safety," it said in a social media post.According to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, "there was some exchange of communication between the ship and the US Navy before the incident." According to reports, thee vessel, MT Marivex, was blacklisted and sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the financial intelligence and enforcement agency of the US Treasury Department. The OFAC acts against vessels involved in violating US sanctions on the sale of Iranian and Russian oil.