Oman Coast, Oman: A tragic maritime incident near the coast of Oman has resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors following action by the United States Navy. One of the deceased has been identified as Patnala Suresh, a Chief Engineer from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The incident has sparked concern in India, which has strongly criticized attacks on commercial vessels operating in the region.

According to Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, three Indian crew members who had gone missing after a US strike on the tanker MT Setebelo have been confirmed dead. The vessel, sailing under the Palau flag, was carrying 24 Indian sailors at the time of the incident.

The deceased have been identified as Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh, Deck Cadet Aditya Sharma from Himachal Pradesh, and Engine Fitter Shivanand Chaurasia from Uttar Pradesh. Sonowal stated that the government stands firmly with the affected families and is making arrangements to bring the mortal remains back to India.

In a separate incident, the US Navy reportedly targeted the tanker MT Jalveer near Shinas Port in Oman. The vessel was carrying 20 Indian crew members, all of whom were safely evacuated with assistance from Omani authorities. The Indian Embassy in Muscat confirmed that no casualties were reported in the attack.

The United States Central Command stated that the vessel was allegedly attempting to transport Iranian oil in violation of US sanctions. It further claimed that repeated warnings were ignored, leading American forces to fire two Hellfire missiles at the ship's engine room.

This marks the third reported US action involving vessels carrying Indian sailors near the Oman coast within four days. Earlier, another oil tanker, MT Marivex, carrying 24 Indian crew members, was targeted, though all personnel survived.

India has formally conveyed its concerns to Washington and demanded an immediate halt to attacks on commercial ships. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that two of the three affected vessels were operating in compliance with international sanctions, while only one vessel fell into a different category.

Addressing the issue at the United Nations Security Council, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, expressed concern over attacks on commercial shipping in West Asia. He emphasized that the safety and welfare of Indian nationals working in the Gulf region remain a top priority for the Government of India.

According to official estimates, more than 18,000 Indian sailors are currently employed across the Gulf region, including hundreds serving on Indian-flagged vessels.