Four Indian crew members were killed after a suspected US missile strike hit the oil and chemical tanker MT Liaki Freedom late on Friday night near Oman, according to information shared by a sailor on board the vessel. The tanker was travelling from Khor Fakkan anchorage to Shinas port in Oman when the attack happened around midnight Indian time.
In a phone call, a sailor from Varanasi described the tragic scene on the ship. He said that he and other crew members had to place the bodies of the deceased sailors in the ship’s deep freezer. He also said that one crew member was severely injured in the blast and that the remains had to be collected in a garbage bag. When asked what caused the attack, the sailor said it was a US strike.
There has been no official confirmation yet from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Navy, or the US Central Command (Centcom) about the incident.
Fourth Attack on Indian-Crewed Vessel in One Week
If confirmed, this would be the fourth attack on a vessel with Indian crew members in the Gulf region within a week.
On Wednesday, the tanker MT Settebello, carrying 24 Indian crew members, was hit off the coast of Oman. Three Indian sailors were killed in that attack. They were Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh, Engine Fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya, and Deck Cadet Aditya Sharma. Another vessel, MT Marivex, was also struck around the same time, but all crew members survived.
On Thursday, the tanker MT Jalveer, carrying 20 Indian sailors, was hit after a US aircraft reportedly fired two Hellfire missiles into its engine room. All 20 crew members survived and were later evacuated with the help of Omani authorities. The latest incident on MT Liaki Freedom would take the total number of Indian sailors killed in these attacks since June 10 to seven.
Concerns Growing Over Gulf Shipping Crisis
On Thursday, the Indian Navy also defused a live missile warhead found on the oil tanker Olympic Life near Kochi. This raised concerns that dangerous military equipment from the Gulf conflict could reach Indian waters aboard damaged ships.
The US Central Command has said its operations in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman are part of a campaign to pressure Iran. According to Centcom, nine ships have been disabled so far, while many other vessels have been redirected or allowed to continue their journeys.
Following the deaths on MT Settebello, India lodged a formal protest with the United States. On Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India was “deeply concerned” and called for safe and uninterrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. India’s Directorate General of Shipping has also advised Indian seafarers working on ships to exercise the highest level of caution.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei condemned the attacks on Indian-crewed vessels and offered condolences to India and the families of those who died.
Indian nationals make up nearly 10 per cent of the world’s merchant ship workforce. As tensions continue in the Gulf region, Indian sailors have suffered a significant share of the casualties, with seven lives reportedly lost in a single week.
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