Three Indian crew members went missing on Wednesday after an attack claimed by the US military on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman.
The targeted ship, the Settebello, flying the flag of Palau, was, according to Washington, trying to export Iranian oil despite the blockade imposed by the United States. The US military’s Middle East Command (Centcom) says a fighter jet fired on the ship’s “engine room”. According to the American army, this shooting came “after the crew refused to obey the orders of the American forces”.
La situation à bord
On board, 24 Indian sailors were present: “Out of 24 Indian crew members on board, 21 have been rescued so far and three are missing.” The attack quickly caused a fire
Maritime security company Vanguard says the ship “transmitted a distress call indicating that its engine room had been hit by a missile.” The events occurred off the coast of Sohar, in the Gulf of Oman. The British agency UKMTO specifies that the attack took place approximately 20 nautical miles northeast of this city.
On site, emergency services were mobilized: “an oil tanker had reported a fire in its engine room, and […] They were on site to help evacuate the crew.” The ship also reported “one casualty and two crew members missing.” No impact on the environment has been reported.”
Strong reactions
India reacted quickly after the attack. New Delhi summoned the American charge d’affaires and expressed a “strong protest”. A strong diplomatic signal in an already tense context. For its part, the American army claims that this is the eighth ship neutralized since the start of the blockade imposed on Iranian ports. A strategy which aims to limit Iran’s oil exports.
A tense regional context
The incident takes place in an ultra-strategic area. The Sultanate of Oman is located at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, where nearly a fifth of global oil and gas deliveries pass. However, traffic there has been almost paralyzed since the end of February.
Tensions between the United States and its allies on one side and Iran on the other continue to rise. The shooting against the Settebello comes as Tehran claimed responsibility on Wednesday morning for attacks against American bases in Bahrain and Jordan. These strikes were presented as a response to American bombings on its territory, themselves triggered after the destruction of an American helicopter on Monday.
