NEW DELHI (Kashmir English): India on Wednesday summoned US Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, Jason Meeks, over the recent US Air Force strike on a commercial oil tanker carrying 24 Indian crew members in the Gulf of Oman.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said 24 of the 28-person crew were its citizens, adding that 21 had been rescued and three remained missing.
India has formally registered its strong protest against the US attack on the oil tanker, according to the statement.
According to the US military, the ship, MT Settebello, was attempting to transport oil from Iran in violation of a US blockade, Reuters reported.
The US Central Command said the Palau-flagged ship was attempting to transport oil from Iran when it was hit at 11.14 pm on Tuesday.
The US aircraft targeted the ship’s engine room after the crew failed to follow repeated instructions from US forces, the Central Command said.
Responding to the development, New Delhi stressed that attacks on commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure in West Asia must cease and called for the swift restoration of free and unhindered navigation through international waterways.
