The strike off the coast of Oman has set off a hasty response. Of the 28 on board, 24 are Indians, and right now officials are making headway in ascertaining if the two missing are our own. The Embassy is on top of it.
What we know so far
According to maritime types, the ship was hit on Wednesday in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz. Tracking has put the name as Settebello, a Palau-registered tanker for chemical and oil products. They put out a mayday after an engine room fire some 20 nautical miles to the northeast of Sohar port in Oman.
Oman’s Navy made its way to the scene, risk groups say. The last we had on the book for the partially loaded vessel was June 1, per a tracking site. We are still looking for a word from US Central Command.
If you’re just joining us, here is the hard copy of facts:
– Two are missing
– One has been hurt
– 24 of the 28 hands on deck were Indian
– A distress call was answered by the Omani Navy
Why it matters for India
New Delhi is paying close attention to the welfare and the ‘why’ of this, with a government source confirming 24 of the sailors were Indian. In light of what has been happening in the area, it is of prime importance to find out if the missing are from here.
The Indian Embassy in Oman has put out a short note to say they are in contact with the locals and will have more to say when they can.
Conflicting signals and unanswered questions
The U.S. has not put anything on the table. But Ambrey, a British security outfit, is of the view the strike has to do with efforts to cordon off Iranian ports. They note that before, crews have been told to make for the bow while the stern is under fire.
Another in the know says a US missile is the most likely culprit. Until we hear from the Pentagon, there are loose ends to tie up, like the timing of the fire and what exactly was the target.
What comes next
You have to deal with two things at once: the people and the paper trail. For now, it’s about search and rescue and tending to the wounded, while the inquest into who did what gets underway.
We can expect to see some of these in the coming days:
– Making sure we have the right names and conditions for the crew
– Some work off the coast of Sohar to recover and search
– The usual from the authorities in charge
A pattern of risk in nearby waters
This is not the first time. Just on June 8, Omani forces had to come to the aid of 24 Indians on the MT Marivex, a tanker from Madagascar, after a blaze. India made no secret of its thanks for the quick work.
One thing these back-to-back events show is how fast a normal run through the Hormuz can go bad. You have high traffic, fires and missiles in the mix, and the room for error is non-existent, even with the navy around.
Regional context and shipping impact
Some have it that the Settebello was in the line of fire of something bigger going on near Iran. That ratchets up the tension in a very busy part of the world. If you see more of this, it means higher premiums, different routes and a harder look at how you protect your men.
For the families back home, the eyes are on the missing and the one who is down. The Omani Navy is there and the Embassy is involved; we will have to wait for the next round of statements to see where this goes, both in terms of help and the politics of it all.
