India on Friday summoned US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks again after yet another attack on a vessel with Indian crew members in the ongoing West Asia conflict between the US-Israel and Iran.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal informed that the US Charge d'Affaires was summoned and informed of India's "deepest concern" over the recurring incidents, stressing that such attacks "must stop."
"We attach high importance to the welfare and well-being of our seafaring community. When this particular attack on the ship MT Settebello occurred, we lodged a strong protest with the American side," said Jaisawal.
The senior Indian diplomat further pushed for a diplomatic resolution to this matter. "We further conveyed that dialogue and diplomacy is the way forward for the peaceful resolution of the conflict, and that there should be unimpeded access through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law."
The move came after another a merchant vessel with 20 Indian crew members on board was targeted, making it the second time this week that the US mission has been called in by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Meeks was earlier called on by the MEA on Thursday in a similar matter as the latest escalation follows a string of maritime incidents that have already claimed the lives of three Indian sailors.
According to government data, three foreign-flagged merchant vessels carrying Indian crew members were targeted over a four-day period in waters near Oman.
More than 18,000 Indian seafarers are currently deployed across the region, including 562 crew members serving aboard 13 Indian-flagged vessels. Of these, 329 are stationed on ships operating west of the Strait of Hormuz, while 233 are on vessels navigating the Gulf of Oman.
A series of attacks
The maritime crisis began on June 8 when the Palau-flagged tanker Marivex, carrying 24 Indian crew members, was targeted.
While all personnel aboard were rescued safely, a second incident involving the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello on June 10 resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors who were initially reported missing.
Jaiswal clarified that the affected vessels were foreign-flagged ships and not Indian-owned.
Two of the ships were registered in Palau, while the third operated under the flag of Guinea-Bissau. He also noted that two of the vessels were under sanctions administered by the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), while the third had been deemed non-compliant.
Meanwhile, Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said evacuation efforts for crew members aboard a third vessel, Jalveer, were underway.
He added that the remaining 25 crew members aboard Settebello, including 21 Indians, had been successfully evacuated.
The government has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh for the families of each deceased Indian sailor through the Seamen Welfare Fund Society.
