Around 3.5 lakh Indian sailors work on ships across the world. According to the Government of India, more than half of these are currently in active service and most are deployed on foreign flagged ships. Internationally, 1 out of every 6 sailors working on large merchant ships is an Indian. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), currently about 20 thousand sailors are stranded on different ships in the Persian Gulf.
According to India’s Directorate General of Shipping, at the time of the start of the Iran war, about 23 thousand Indian sailors were working on ships and maritime facilities in the entire region. More than half of these are posted in UAE. After the death of three Indian sailors in the recent American attack, the Indian government has taken a big decision. DG Shipping has directed all maritime recruitment agencies not to send sailors on new Indian duty in conflict areas until further orders.
What did the government say in the advisory?
The government has asked ships operating in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman to exercise extra caution and follow all safety instructions. Change of crew will be allowed if necessary, but the consent of the sailors will be required for this.
On June 8, 10 and 11, the US Navy attacked three merchant ships named Marivex, Setebello and Jalveer with Hellfire missiles. No one died on Marivex and Jalveer, but three Indian sailors lost their lives on Setesabelo. These included a chief engineer, an engine fitter and a deck cadet.
Ship company refutes American allegations
The US Army says that these ships were violating the sanctions related to Iranian oil and were not following American instructions. However, IOS Marine FZE, the company operating Setebelo, has termed these allegations as false. The company says that the ship was standing at the same place for about 10 days, it had not received any warning from the US Navy and it had no connection with Iranian oil or Iranian ports.
After these incidents, India has lodged a strong protest with America. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that attacking commercial ships is not right.
Also read: More than 600 ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, how many of them are Indian ships?
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