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A fourth Indian-crewed 'MT Liaki Freedom' tanker was reported to be attacked off the Oman coast. However, moments later, the Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA), through sources, confirmed that they have spoken to the master of the vessel, who assured that all the crew members aboard were safe and that the reports of the attack were "fake." "We have spoken with the Master of the vessel Liaki Freedom, who has confirmed that all crew members are safe and that the reported information is false," MEA sources told Times Now.
The development came a day after a Guinea-Bissau-flagged oil tanker, MT Jalveer, was attacked by the US Navy in the Gulf of Oman. A total of 20 Indian seafarers were onboard the ship at the time of the attack.
On Friday, the MEA had summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks for the second time in a week to lodge a strong protest over repeated attacks on merchant ships off the Oman coast. Notably, in one of the previous attacks, three Indian sailors lost their lives.
India demands end to US attacks on ships after three sailors killed
Three merchant ships with Indian crew members came under attack from American military off the coast of Oman this week, resulting in the deaths of three nationals. New Delhi has asserted that these attacks must stop.
A Palau-flagged oil tanker, Marivex, carrying 24 Indian seafarers, was disabled by US forces on June 8. All crew members were safely rescued. On June 10, the US struck another Palau-flagged tanker, Settebello, killing three out of the 24 Indian sailors on board. Another vessel, Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker with 20 Indians, was attacked on Thursday.
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."
US President Donald Trump has accused Iran of launching a drone attack on Indian ships leaving the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has rejected Trump's allegation, calling it "baseless".
(With agency inputs)
