&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "MEA summons US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks again over strikes affecting Indian seafarers")
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks to strongly protest ongoing US Navy attacks on commercial vessels off Oman's coast on Friday (June 12). This diplomatic move follows a recent attack on a merchant ship carrying 20 Indian crew members, marking the second time the US mission has been summoned. The crisis turned fatal with the confirmed deaths of three Indian seafarers previously reported missing, marking New Delhi’s first public acknowledgement of the US military directly targeting vessels with Indian crews.
According to official data, US forces targeted three foreign-flagged merchant vessels over four days. On June 8, US forces disabled the Palau-flagged tanker Marivex, which had 24 Indian crew members who were all safely rescued. On June 10, the US struck a second Palau-flagged tanker, Settebello, causing the three Indian fatalities. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that a strong protest was lodged, emphasizing that these military actions "must stop" immediately. New Delhi has urged a return to dialogue and diplomacy to peacefully resolve the conflict and ensure unimpeded access through the Strait of Hormuz.
Jaiswal clarified that the strikes originated from US Navy units stationed in the region. The targeted ships were not Indian-owned but foreign-flagged: two under Palau and one under Guinea-Bissau. The operations were linked to regulatory enforcement, as two vessels were under US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions, and the third was classified as non-compliant.
Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, provided updates on rescue operations. Evacuation has commenced for personnel on the third vessel, Jalveer. On the Settebello, the remaining 25 crew members including 21 Indians, two Pakistanis, one Russian, and one Ukrainian have been safely evacuated. Furthermore, the Seamen Welfare Fund Society has been directed to release an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the families of each deceased Indian sailor.
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This crisis underscores the massive presence of Indian maritime professionals in this volatile zone. Government data indicates that over 18,000 Indian seafarers are currently deployed across the Gulf region. This includes 562 crew members aboard 13 Indian-flagged vessels, with 329 personnel operating west of the Strait of Hormuz and 233 navigating the Gulf of Oman.
