India summons U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission after second ship attack in three days

India on Wednesday (June 10, 2026) summoned the U.S. Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Jason Meeks and lodged a ‘strong protest’ after one more attack on a commercial vessel near the Omani coast left three Indian sailors missing, official sources have confirmed.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs described the incident as “deeply worrisome” and said it was “a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region”. Wednesday’s incident involving commercial vessel Settebello that had around 24 Indian crew members onboard was the second such attack in the past three days. The previous attack on M/T Marivex was claimed by the U.S. Central Command that had described the oil tanker as “non-compliant”.

“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello off the coast of Oman, earlier today. Of the 24 Indian crew onboard, 21 Indians have been rescued thus far and 3 Indians are reportedly missing, Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing Search and Rescue operation,” said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement. Greek news outlet Tovima has cited maritime security information while reporting “possibility of American involvement” in Wednesday’s incident.

The strike on Settebello off the coast of Oman prompted the MEA to call for “immediate de-escalation of tensions and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region”. The statement from the MEA reiterated India’s demand for “free and unimpeded navigation and commerce” through international waterways and said, “The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region.”

The attack on Settebello came a day after the U.S. forces “disabled” M/T Marivex which was being looked after by 24 Indian sailors. “U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) disabled Palau-flagged M/T Marivex as it transited international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran. An F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) fired a precision munition into the ship’s engineering and steering spaces after the crew failed to comply with directions from U.S. forces. Marivex is no longer sailing to Iran,” said the U.S. CENTCOM in a social media announcement on June 8. The CENTCOM further said that it has “disabled seven non-compliant vessels, redirected 134 ships that complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass since initiating the blockade on April 13”.

During the MEA’s media briefing on Tuesday (June 9, 2026), Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said that all 24 Indian crew members onboard the M/T Marivex were rescued in coordination with the Omani authorities. “We also understand that there was some exchange of communication between the ship and the U.S. Navy before the incident,” Randhir Jaiswal had informed hinting at the involvement of the U.S. CENTCOM in the incident.