LONDON/NEW DELHI: India's shipping ministry said all 20 Indian crew members were safe after a suspected U.S. strike on the asphalt tanker Jalveer off Oman on Thursday following two similar strikes involving Indian crews in the region this week.
Three Indian sailors died in a U.S. strike on the Settebello tanker off Oman a day earlier.
The Guinea-Bissau flagged Jalveer sent a distress call while off Oman's port of Shinas after a fire broke out around its engine room and funnel, British maritime risk management company Vanguard said.
An Indian shipping ministry official said the crew were being evacuated in coordination with the Royal Navy of Oman.
The ship was attacked by the U.S. Navy, Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters.
"The cause of the fire has not been disclosed; however, ...this was likely the result of U.S. operations to blockade Iranian ports," British maritime security company Ambrey said.
U.S. Central Command was not available for immediate comment on the incident.
If confirmed, it would be the third Indian-crewed tanker hit by U.S. forces this week after the Marivex oil tanker was disabled using precision munitions on Monday.
The U.S. began a blockade of Iran-related shipping on April 13 after Iran severely curtailed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil and gas route.
U.S. Centcom said the Marivex and Settebello failed to follow directions as U.S. forces enforced the blockade.
Centcom said on Wednesday U.S. forces enforcing the blockade had disabled eight non-compliant vessels, redirected 134 others, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass since the blockade began.
Ships being targeted include Iranian vessels as well as others carrying Iranian cargoes, including so-called shadow fleet tankers, which are typically older vessels without Western insurance used to transport sanctioned oil and sailing under the flags of various nations to obscure their true ownership, cargo and movements.
The Marivex was the only one of the three tankers under U.S. sanctions.
