India has lodged a strong diplomatic protest, summoning the US Charge d'Affaires for the second time in a week, after a third merchant vessel with Indian crew members came under attack off the coast of Oman. The latest incident, reported on Thursday, June 11, 2026, intensified concerns over the safety of commercial shipping in the vital Gulf region.
Diplomatic Action and Security Advisory
US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks was called in by the Ministry of External Affairs' Additional Secretary (Americas) on Friday, June 12, 2026. This move underscores India's escalating diplomatic response to a series of maritime incidents affecting its nationals. Concurrently, the Directorate General of Shipping issued a fresh maritime security advisory for approximately 18,000 Indian seafarers operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, and adjacent waters.
Details of the Attacks on Indian Vessels
Three separate incidents involving ships with Indian crew have been reported within four days:
- MT Marivex Incident (June 8): A Palau-flagged oil tanker, carrying 24 Indian seafarers, experienced a fire following what maritime security sources described as a suspected strike. All crew members were reported safe and subsequently rescued, though the vessel was disabled.
- MT Settebello Incident (June 10): This tanker came under attack in the Gulf of Oman. Out of 24 Indian crew members, 21 were rescued, but three Indian sailors initially reported missing were later confirmed dead.
- MT Jalveer Incident (June 11): The third incident involved the Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker MT Jalveer, carrying 20 Indian crew members, which was attacked off the Omani coast. Officials have not yet disclosed the exact nature of this latest strike.
MEA Attributes Attacks to US Navy
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated on Thursday that the strikes on the Settebello, Marivex, and Jalveer "came from the US Navy." Jaiswal also noted that two of the three vessels were subject to sanctions administered by the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, while the third had been classified as non-compliant.
India boasts the world's second-largest seafaring workforce, with an estimated 3.2 lakh Indian seafarers serving globally. Approximately 18,000 Indian nationals are currently employed on hundreds of foreign-flagged merchant ships across the wider Gulf region, highlighting the significant impact of these maritime security concerns on Indian citizens.