Key Points
The US Navy rescued 14 Indian sailors from the sinking MSV Virat-1 off Oman.
The rescue comes days after three Indian seafarers were killed in a US military strike.
India has strongly protested the earlier incident, while the US has defended its Strait of Hormuz blockade.
THE US NAVY on Sunday June 14, 2026, rescued 14 Indian sailors. The seafarers were aboard the Indian-flagged vessel MSV Virat-1, and began sinking in the Coast of Oman after facing engine failure. The US Navy P-8 maritime patrol aircraft took notice of the sinking ship and employed raft boats to aid the crew members stuck inside. The aircraft also alerted Omani shore authorities and the Indian Navy of the situation. All 14 sailors were transferred to the life raft.
The Indian Embassy in Oman said it had been made aware of the incident. and that a search and rescue operation is being undertaken in cooperation with Omani authorities.
In a defiant stance, the United States has refused to take cognizance of the three Indian seafarers who were killed by US military strikes in the Gulf of Oman. On Saturday, 13 June, 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar conducted a phone call to address this matter, wherein Rubio asserted that “violation of the US blockade [on the Strait of Hormuz] and the illicit transport of Iranian Oil would not be tolerated.”
On June 10, 2025, US military strikes on a merchant vessel claimed the lives of three Indians seafarers. The incident occurred during the enforcement of a US naval blockade restricting the movements of Iranian oil shipments. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the forces had targeted vessels that allegedly violated maritime restrictions.
See also: As Cease-Fire With Iran Wavers, US Expands Its Military Footprint
In the press statement that was released after the phone call between Rubio and Jaishankar, the US reiterated the need for compliance with US directives in the Strait of Hormuz, and didn't express any regret over the deaths.
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke yesterday with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The two officials discussed recent events in the Strait of Hormuz. The Secretary stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from US forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the Strait. He underscored that violations of the US blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated,” the official press release from the US Department of State read.
The phone call between the US and Indian officials came after India summoned the US Charge D’affaires Jason Meeks twice within a week to lodge a strong protest over the attack. Meeks was first summoned when the US military hit the Palau-flagged tanker named MT Stellebello off the Oman coast on June 10, 2026, which killed three Indian seafarers. At the same location, another merchant vessel came under attack that carried 20 Indian crew members a few days later, which led to the second summons.
Earlier, Jaishankar also wrote on X that he 'reiterated India’s strong protest' after the attack on Settebello claimed the lives of three Indians. Taking to X, the External Affairs minister wrote: "Spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this evening. I reiterated India’s strong protest at the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners. Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified," Jaishankar wrote on X.
See also: EAM Jaishankar Defends India's Decision to Buy Russian Oil, Questions Europe on Arms Exports
Senior congress leader Shashi Tharoor has called the US’s statement on the killing as “deeply shocking” and underscored how the statement contained no expression of regret or condolence for the loss of innocent Indian lives. Tharoor further questioned why the US military employed the use of missiles to stop a non-compliant vessel instead of using non-lethal means.
“Deeply shocking to read this official US statement, which contains absolutely no expression of regret or condolence for the loss of innocent Indian lives. How can a “friend” and strategic partner be so deeply insensitive? Why couldn’t a non-compliant commercial vessel have been stopped using other, non-lethal means? Is it not possible to disable a ship's propulsion or steering without firing missiles targeted to kill civilian crew members? Practically every merchant ship navigating these crucial waters has Indian crew on board. Are they all considered fair game for US missiles now? This approach is unacceptable and I hope @DrSJaishankar had said so to @marcorubio,” Tharoor’s X statement read.
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