Iran war: Why did US attack ship with Indians onboard?
While 21 Indians have been rescued from the ship, three still remain missing.
The vessel, MT Settebello, was hit by American forces while sailing near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes.(Source: AP)
India on Wednesday summoned the top American diplomat in Delhi after US forces struck a commercial oil tanker carrying 24 Indian crew members off the coast of Oman. Three sailors are still missing. This is the first diplomatic confrontation between India and the Donald Trump administration over the ongoing Iran war.
The vessel, MT Settebello, was hit by American forces while sailing near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes.
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Ship ignored warnings, attacked
According to the US military, the tanker was carrying Iranian oil and was attempting to violate a naval blockade imposed around Iran amid the escalating regional war.
The US military said the Palau-flagged tanker was part of efforts to transport Iranian oil despite restrictions enforced under the blockade. The officials claimed the ship ignored warnings and continued its voyage, leading to a strike on its engine room using what they described as “precision munitions.”
🦅 @CENTCOM disabled the Palau-flagged oil tanker M/T Settebello as it transited the Gulf of Oman for attempting to breach the US blockade of Iran’s Islamist Terror Regime.
CENTCOM: A U.S. aircraft fired precision munitions into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly… pic.twitter.com/2jFgw3feMJ
US Central Command said the objective was to disable the vessel rather than sink it. Officials maintained that the crew had been warned before the attack and that measures were taken to minimise casualties.
It was the eighth merchant vessel disabled by US forces in waters around Iran since the blockade began.
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Indian crew caught in the crossfire
Of the 24 Indian seafarers onboard, 21 were rescued through a joint operation involving Omani authorities and maritime agencies. However, three Indian sailors remain unaccounted for.
#WATCH | Visuals of the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Settebello, which was attacked off the coast of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz, on June 10.
The commercial vessel had 24 Indian crew members onboard. While 21 Indians have been rescued, 3 remain missing.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the missing crew members but stopped short of directly criticising Washington in its official statement. However, India conveyed its concerns by summoning US charge d’affaires Jason Meeks, as Ambassador Sergio Gor was reportedly out of the country.
The vessel, MT Settebello, was hit by American forces while sailing near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes.(Source: AP) 
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