The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has officially denounced a recent attack on the commercial tanker Settebello near the coast of Oman. While 21 Indian mariners were successfully rescued following the incident, authorities have confirmed that three Indian seafarers remain missing. The Indian embassy in Oman is currently working in tandem with local officials to manage the situation and is actively participating in the ongoing search and rescue efforts to locate the remaining crew members.

The incident involved a Palau-flagged chemical and oil products tanker that reported a fire in its engine room approximately 20 nautical miles off the port of Sohar. Reports from maritime security experts suggest the vessel may have been struck by a missile. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the risk management group Vanguard, the Omani Navy was quick to respond to the ship’s distress signals. The vessel, which was partially loaded at the time of the attack, had last been tracked in the region on June 1.