IMO Secretary-General Dominguez strongly condemned the US military’s attack on an oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz on the 10th. The incident caused the oil tanker to catch fire, with three crew members missing.
The International Maritime Organization issued a statement the same day, saying that an oil tanker flying the flag of Palau had caught fire in the Gulf of Oman after being hit by a projectile. Dominguez expressed deep concern over the incident and issued a strong condemnation, emphasizing that any act endangering the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping is wholly unacceptable.
The US Central Command issued a statement on the same day, admitting that the US military took action against the above-mentioned oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on the night of the 9th.
The statement said the ship had violated a US blockade order, and after the crew failed to comply with instructions from the US military, a US aircraft launched precision-guided weapons into the vessel’s engine room, disabling the ship.
This was the second consecutive day that the US military opened fire on ships alleged to have violated the US-imposed blockade order on Iranian ports.
Dominguez stated that the safety of seafarers, civilian vessels, and freedom of navigation should always be protected, and that all actions affecting international shipping must strictly comply with international law and principles of maritime safety of life at sea. The International Maritime Organization called for a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the incident.
3 Indian Crew Members Missing
On the 11th, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement condemning the attack on the oil tanker “Satt Bello,” which resulted in three Indian crew members missing.
The statement said: “There were a total of 24 Indian crew members on board, 21 of whom have been rescued, with 3 still missing.”
The statement pointed out that the recent shipping attacks in the region are deeply concerning and are the direct consequence of ongoing conflict in the area. India once again called for immediate de-escalation.
An Indian senior government official told AFP that India has summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires in India to lodge a “strong protest” over the attack.
According to data from the International Maritime Organization, since February 28, a total of 43 confirmed attacks on international shipping have occurred in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters.