NEW DELHI: Indian lawmakers denounced on Sunday the lack of a US apology over the killing of three seafarers off the coast of Oman, as another sailor died from medical complications aboard a vessel stranded in the region amid the US blockade.
Aditya Sharma, a cadet, Shivanand Chaurashiya, a fitter, and Patnala Suresh, a chief engineer, were killed aboard the Palau-flagged MT Settebello when a US aircraft fired into the tanker’s engine room last week.
While the Indian Ministry of External Affairs summoned Washington’s envoy to New Delhi in protest, the Department of State on Saturday quoted Secretary Marco Rubio as telling his Indian counterpart that “all commercial vessels should immediately comply” with orders from US forces and that “violations” of the American blockade around the Strait of Hormuz would not be tolerated.
The statement has since gone viral in India, with lawmakers joining in condemnation.
“Just days after three Indian seafarers were killed in US attacks — no regret, no apology. Instead, the United States continues to issue orders,” Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in India’s parliament, said on social media.
