India calls for end to US attacks on ships after death of three sailors

India asked the United States to suspend attacks on ships this Thursday (11), after three North American attacks on oil tankers with an Indian crew this week, including one that killed three sailors.

These deaths are the first reported since the beginning of the U.S. blockade of shipping linked to Iran on April 13, in which U.S. forces blocked eight ships and turned more than 100 others away.

"These attacks must stop," Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told reporters. "We also call for dialogue and diplomacy so that we can have a rapid return to peace and stability in the region."

According to Jaiswal, the US Navy attacked three ships with Indian crews this week, including one this Thursday (11).

He said the ministry had summoned the US chargé d'affaires in New Delhi on Wednesday (10) to convey its "deep concerns about the ongoing attacks" following an attack on the Settebello oil tanker off Oman in which three Indian sailors were killed.

The US embassy did not respond to requests for immediate comment.

The U.S. military's Central Command said a U.S. aircraft carried out a precision strike on the Settebello's engine room "after the crew repeatedly refused to comply with orders from U.S. forces."

It stated that the Settebello "violated the current blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran".

The ship's manager, IOS Marine FZE, rejected allegations that it ignored warnings or was carrying Iranian oil and called for a transparent international investigation into the matter.

Source: CNN