Crew Reported Missing and Injured After Product Tanker is Struck off Oman
A Palau-flagged product tanker issued a distress call early on Wednesday morning, June 10, in a position approximately 20 nautical miles off Sohar, Oman. While there have been no official statements, it appears likely to have been another tanker disabled by U.S. forces as part of the enforcement of the blockade on Iran.
The reports vary, with the major security firms reporting two crewmembers were missing and one was injured. In an unconfirmed statement from a firm claiming to represent the tanker’s managers, they said three seafarers had lost their lives.
The product tanker Settebello (47,198 dwt) radioed that a strike had severely damaged the engine room, causing massive fire and smoke onboard. The Oman Navy was reportedly standing by to assist with the evacuation of the crew, while Indian authorities said they were monitoring the situation closely. Reuters is reporting that 24 of the 28 seafarers aboard the tanker are Indian nationals, although the nationality of three crewmembers is not yet known.
In the past, the Settebello has been linked to the Iranian oil trade. The purported representatives are asserting the vessel was drifting off the coast of Oman, waiting for further orders and not engaged in any cargo operations. Some reports indicate the vessel was partially laden.
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The latest strike comes as tensions are running high in the region after a series of attacks and retaliations. The U.S. on Monday struck another tanker, the Marivex, which it asserted had ignored multiple warnings. U.S. Central Command on Monday, June 8, reported that seven non-compliant vessels had been disabled, while 134 ships that complied had been redirected, and 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid had been allowed to pass since initiating the blockade on April 13.
Donald Trump angrily said today that Iran would “have to pay” for taking too long to agree to a peace deal after having already ordered retaliatory strikes after a U.S. helicopter was shot down on Tuesday. Iran responded by launching missiles it said were targeting U.S. bases across the region. Trump also asserted the effectiveness of the U.S. naval blockade, calling it “the most successful blockade in the history of naval warfare.” Trump wrote that “nothing gets through unless we want it to. It is a steel wall! Iran is doing ZERO business.”