Three Indian Sailors Missing After Oil Tanker Settebello Hit By Missile Near Oman Coast

The Settebello, carrying a full Indian crew, was struck in its engine room in the Gulf of Oman. Maritime analysts link the attack to Washington's active naval blockade of Iran. New Delhi has demanded rescue efforts while carefully avoiding a direct accusation against the United States.

New Delhi: A missile struck the engine room of the oil tanker Settebello on Wednesday afternoon, sparking a fire aboard the Palau-registered vessel as it sailed roughly 20 nautical miles off the coast of Sohar in the Gulf of Oman.

Of the 24 Indian nationals aboard, 21 have been confirmed rescued, while three remain unaccounted for as search operations continue into the evening.

The Omani Navy responded to the vessel’s distress call, and local maritime authorities have been coordinating search-and-rescue efforts in close communication with Indian embassy in Muscat. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency confirmed the incident, noting that regional authorities had arrived at the scene to assist with crew evacuation.

British maritime risk firm Vanguard confirmed the ship’s identity. The tanker, which was partially loaded at the time, had last appeared in the MarineTraffic ship-tracking database off the Omani coastline on June 1.

India Condemns Attack On Oil Tanker Settebello 

The Ministry of External Affairs issued a formal condemnation within hours of the incident, calling the attack on a civilian commercial vessel “deeply worrisome” and describing it as a consequence of the wider armed conflict gripping the region.

“The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through international waterways in keeping with international law must be restored at the earliest," the MEA said, reiterating New Delhi’s call for immediate de-escalation and a negotiated resolution to the conflict.

No country has officially claimed responsibility for the strike. However, two independent maritime security firms, including Ambrey, concluded that the attack bore the hallmarks of US naval blockade-enforcement operations directed at tankers linked to Iranian ports.

India Summons US Charge d’Affaires

The Ministry of External Affairs summoned the US Charge d’Affaires, Jason Meeks over the missile strike at a Palau-flagged tanker on Wednesday.

New Delhi registered a strong protest over the strike on merchant tanker Settebello.

The CENTCOM said Wednesday US forces “disabled” the oil tanker.

“US Central Command (CENTCOM) disabled Palau-flagged M/T Settebello as it transited the Gulf of Oman. A US aircraft fired precision munitions into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces.”

Second India-Linked Tanker Hit in Three Days

Wednesday’s incident is not an isolated one. Just two days earlier, on Monday, Centcom publicly acknowledged that a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet operating from the USS Abraham Lincoln struck the MT Marivex – another Palau-flagged, India-crewed tanker, in the same general corridor, after the vessel reportedly attempted to proceed to an Iranian port in defiance of the American naval blockade. All 24 crew members of the Marivex were rescued safely.

The US naval blockade on Iran was imposed in April 2026 following the breakdown of diplomatic talks in Islamabad, aimed at ending the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war. Centcom reported as recently as Tuesday that its forces had interdicted seven vessels that refused to comply, redirected 134 others after they turned back, and granted passage to 42 ships confirmed to be carrying humanitarian cargo.

Hormuz Strait Turns Perilous for Global Shipping

The Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, already among the world’s most strategically critical waterways, have become acutely dangerous since hostilities erupted on February 28, 2026.

At its narrowest point, the strait stretches roughly 38 kilometres across and is jointly managed by Iran and Oman. Under normal conditions, it funnels approximately one-fifth of the globe’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

The 2026 Hormuz crisis has so far damaged at least 17 merchant vessels, of which seven have been abandoned, two seized, and at least 12 seafarers killed or reported missing.