Oman (Lord Media): Three Indian sailors have been confirmed dead following an attack on a U.S. military oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman. According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, 24 Indian nationals were aboard the tanker at the time of the attack, of which 21 were rescued by the Omani Navy, while three went missing and have now been confirmed dead.
Indian officials identified the deceased as deck cadet Aditya Sharma, engine fitter Shiv Anand Chaurasia, and chief engineer Patnala Suresh. Arrangements are being made for the return of the remaining crew to India.
The U.S. Central Command stated that the Indian vessel ignored American directives and violated an Iranian maritime blockade, leading to the targeting of the engine room.
India has expressed strong opposition to the attack, summoning the U.S. chargé d’affaires to lodge a protest and demand an end to attacks on commercial vessels and civilian crews.
U.S. officials stated that the operation aimed to disable the ship, not destroy it, to prevent it from continuing to transport Iranian oil in violation of U.S. sanctions. The Indian government has deemed this explanation insufficient and is demanding a full investigation into the incident.
