India on Wednesday expressed serious concern over a series of attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members in the Gulf region, with three ships coming under attack since June 8 and three Indian sailors losing their lives in one of the incidents.
Speaking during an inter-ministerial briefing, Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary in the Shipping Ministry, said three vessels with Indian sailors on board had been targeted over the past four days.
The first incident occurred on June 8 when a fire broke out aboard the vessel Marivex. All 24 Indian crew members on board were safely rescued, he said.
A second and more serious attack took place on June 10 involving the vessel MT Settebello. Of the 24 Indian sailors on board, three lost their lives while the remaining 21 were safely evacuated.
On June 11, another vessel, MT Jalveer, came under attack. The ship had 20 Indian seafarers on board, all of whom are reported to be safe.
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The latest incidents have heightened concerns over maritime security in the region, particularly around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of global oil supplies passes.
According to the Shipping Ministry, there are currently 13 Indian-flagged vessels operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A total of 562 Indian seafarers are serving on these vessels, including 329 on the western side of the strait and 223 in the Gulf of Oman.
Addressing the media, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the attacks as "deeply worrisome" and called for an immediate end to violence against commercial shipping.
"The attacks on ships are deeply worrisome. These attacks must end immediately," Jaiswal said.
He noted that India had already condemned the June 10 attack in which three Indian nationals lost their lives and had formally conveyed its concerns to the United States.
"We had summoned the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to register our protest," Jaiswal said.
The MEA spokesperson also confirmed that MT Jalveer had come under attack on Wednesday but added that all 20 Indian sailors aboard the vessel were safe.
The incidents come amid heightened tensions and military activity in the Gulf region, raising concerns over the safety of international shipping routes and seafarers operating in one of the world's most critical energy corridors.
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