The UAE based IOS Marine that operates Motor Tanker Settebello on Thursday said that the United States Navy didn’t give any warning before attacking the vessel off the Oman coast, which resulted in the death of three Indians.
In a detailed statement issued by IOS Marine, “We categorically reject claims that the Motor Tanker SETTEBELLO ignored warning calls, communications, or instructions. To the best of our knowledge and based on information available to us, no warning call, message, or communication was ever successfully established with the vessel prior to the actions taken against it. No contact whatsoever was made with the vessel as has been publicly alleged.”
The UAE-based operator of the attacked vessel challenged the US Navy to make public evidence supporting its claim that the vessel was given warning prior to the attack.
“If the United States Navy maintains that communications were attempted or established, then the evidence supporting such claims should be made public,” the IOS Marine statement read.
Watch: Moment when US Navy attacked MT Settebello
The operator held the US Navy responsible for the death of three Indian seafarers, who were part of the 24-member crew.
“This was not merely a maritime incident. It was a human tragedy that resulted in the loss of life, devastated families, and caused damages and losses estimated to exceed USD 35 million. No financial loss, however significant, can compare to the loss of human life,” it said.
According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the oil tanker was attacked in the Gulf of Oman after it “violated the ongoing blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran.”
The CENTCOM further claimed that the crew of the Palau-flagged vessel “repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces”.
However, the vessel’s operator categorically rejected the US military’s claim and said that MT Settebello was a civilian merchant vessel with no affiliation with Iran.
“We further state unequivocally that the Motor Tanker SETTEBELLO holds no affiliation whatsoever with Iran or Iranian oil. The vessel was a civilian merchant vessel engaged in legitimate commercial operations and should be viewed as such. Any assertions to the contrary are rejected and should be subjected to independent scrutiny as part of a transparent international investigation,” it added.
According to its operator, MT SETTEBELLO had remained stationary at its position for approximately ten days prior to the incident and had made no movement whatsoever during that period.
Moreover, the vessel was not transiting through the area. It neither engaged in any aggressive or evasive manoeuvres, nor was it undertaking any action that could reasonably justify the use of military force against a civilian merchant vessel.
How India reacted to the incident?
India strongly condemned the incident, and summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks to lodge its strong protest.
“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 03 Indians are reportedly missing,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
The MEA also demanded an immediate end to the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region.
“Free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region in keeping with international law must be restored at the earliest,” the ministry said.
Later, Nagaraj Naidu, Additional Secretary (Americas) in the Ministry of External Affairs, summoned Meeks as US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, is out of Delhi. However, no formal demarche was issued by India.