India on Wednesday summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks and strongly condemned the US attack on the commercial tanker ‘Setebello’ with an Indian crew near Oman. Three out of 24 Indians aboard the ship have gone missing in the attack. India said that attacks on commercial ships and civilian targets in West Asia should stop. Along with this, movement on sea routes should become normal soon. This attack took place on a ship named ‘Setebelo’. Two days before this, the US Navy had attacked another ship.
India said that there were 24 Indians on both the ships and they were trying to escape the US blockade of Iranian ports. The Ministry of External Affairs said, “We condemn the attack on ‘Setebelo’. Of the 24 Indians, 21 have been rescued, 3 are still missing. The Indian Embassy is monitoring the situation in Oman and conducting search and rescue operations in coordination with local authorities.
We have learned of an incident involving a vessel off the coast of Oman. We are closely monitoring the situation and in close touch with the local authorities. We will update soon.
— India in Oman (Embassy of India, Muscat) (@Indemb_Muscat) June 10, 2026
Why did this attack happen?
According to a statement from US CENTCOM, the Palau-flagged oil tanker was trying to bypass the US-led blockade against Iran and head towards an Iranian port. He was attacked for “not following the instructions of the US Army”.
Palau flagged tanker was also attacked
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the Palau-flagged tanker ‘MT Marivx’ caught fire after the US Navy attack off the coast of Oman. America had attacked ‘MT Marivx’ before the attack on ‘Setebello’, but 24 Indian crew were safely rescued from here. India has expressed its gratitude to the Government of Oman for the excellent help it received in rescuing the 24 Indian crew members of this tanker. The ship caught fire after being hit by a US missile on Monday. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “Our Embassy contacted Omani authorities for the rescue operation and they took immediate action. We are grateful to the Government of Oman for the excellent help they have received in rescuing the crew members and ensuring their safety. Our Mission is in constant touch with the seafarers.
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