US strikes third Indian-crewed vessel MT Jalveer off Oman as New Delhi presses concerns after sailor deaths
Screenshot from a social media video showing MT Jalveer after being hit by US forces.
New Delhi: An Indian-crewed commercial tanker came under a United States military strike off the coast of Oman on Thursday. This marks the third such incident involving vessels carrying Indian seafarers in less than a week and deepening concerns in New Delhi over the safety of merchant shipping in the Gulf region.
The vessel, MT Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged asphalt tanker carrying 20 Indian crew members, was struck in the Gulf of Oman near the Omani port of Shinas. Indian authorities said all crew members were safe and evacuation efforts were carried out in coordination with Omani authorities. The strike reportedly caused a fire in the ship’s engine room and funnel area.
The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the vessel had been targeted by US forces and said the government was closely monitoring the situation through its embassy in Muscat.
The latest incident comes a day after New Delhi confirmed the deaths of three Indian sailors aboard MT Settebello, a Palau-flagged tanker that was struck by US forces off Oman. The vessel carried 24 Indian crew members, of whom 21 were rescued by Omani authorities. The three sailors initially reported missing were later confirmed dead.
The deceased were identified as chief engineer Patnala Suresh, engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya and deck cadet Aditya Sharma. The government has said it is facilitating the repatriation of the survivors and the return of the bodies to India.
The Jalveer incident follows an earlier strike on another Indian-crewed tanker, MT Marivex, which was disabled in the same region. All crew members on board that vessel were rescued.
According to the US Central Command, the vessels were targeted after allegedly failing to comply with instructions from US forces enforcing a maritime blockade linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. In the case of Jalveer, US officials said two Hellfire missiles were fired into the vessel’s engine room after repeated warnings were ignored. The claims have not been independently verified.
India has formally protested the attacks and urged an immediate halt to actions that endanger civilian seafarers. The Ministry of External Affairs has emphasized that the continuing attacks on commercial shipping are a matter of serious concern and has called for diplomacy and de-escalation to restore stability in the region. New Delhi also summoned a senior US diplomat following the Settebello strike.
The incidents have drawn international attention because Indian nationals form one of the world’s largest maritime workforces and serve aboard thousands of merchant vessels operating across key global shipping routes. The Gulf of Oman and the nearby Strait of Hormuz remain among the most strategically important waterways for global energy supplies and international trade.
