FILE PHOTO: Tankers and other vessels in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam Ships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, April 18, 2026. (Credit: Reuters)
India has summoned a senior U.S. diplomat in New Delhi and lodged a ''strong protest'' following a strike on a tanker off Oman in which three Indian seafarers remain missing, according to sources cited by Reuters.
The U.S. military said it fired precision munitions into the engine room of an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after the crew failed to comply with instructions, disabling the vessel.
India’s foreign ministry said 21 Indian crew members had been rescued, while three are still unaccounted for. It condemned the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello and said its embassy in Oman is coordinating with local authorities on search and rescue efforts.
Maritime officials said the tanker was likely hit by a U.S. missile strike.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported a fire in the engine room of a tanker about 20 nautical miles northeast of Sohar, noting one casualty but not specifying the cause.
