DUBAI: Three Indian crew members are missing and 21 others were rescued after the US attacked a tanker off the coast of Oman.
The US military said its forces "disabled" the Palau-flagged vessel Settebello as it transited the Gulf of Oman late on Tuesday.
"A US aircraft fired precision munitions into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces," US Central Command said.
The statement said the vessel had violated the US blockade or Iranian ports by attempting to transport oil from Iran.
India's foreign ministry announced three sailors from the ship were missing and condemned the attack.
India has lodged a "strong protest" with the US deputy chief of mission to the country, Jason Meeks, Indian sources told Reuters.
The Indian embassy “is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operation,” the foreign ministry statement added.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the chemical and oil products tanker reported an engine room fire about 20 nautical miles northeast of Sohar in northern Oman.
British maritime security firm Ambrey said it assessed the incident was “likely the result of US operations to blockade Iranian ports,” while another maritime security source said the vessel was likely hit by a US missile.
Maritime risk management group Vanguard said the Omani navy responded to the vessel’s distress call.
The United States began a blockade of Iran-related shipping on April 13 after Iran severely curtailed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil and gas route.
US Central Command said as of June 8 US forces had disabled seven non-compliant vessels, redirected 134 others which complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass, Reuters reported.
US forces disabled the unladen Marivex oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Monday after it attempted to sail to an Iranian port in violation of the ongoing blockade against Iran, the US military said.
Ships being targeted include Iranian vessels as well as so-called shadow fleet tankers, which are typically older vessels without Western insurance used to transport sanctioned oil and sailing under the flags of various nations to obscure their true ownership, cargo and movements.
In a separate incident off the coast of Yemen, a cargo vessel reported being approached by a small craft carrying six armed individuals about 88 nautical miles southwest of Balhaf.
UKMTO said an exchange of fire took place between the vessel’s armed security team and the small craft, which later turned away.
*With Reuters and AFP
