The United States hit a tanker with a missile: some of the sailors disappeared

Presumably, the United States hit a tanker with oil products off the coast of Oman with a missile and two crew members disappeared.

"This was probably the result of a US operation to blockade Iranian ports," Ambrey, a British maritime security group, told Reuters. "In the past, crews were warned about the need to gather at the bow of the ship before attacking the stern."

A second source in the field of maritime security also told the agency that the ship was probably hit by an American missile. However, the US Central Command has not yet confirmed the missile strike on the ship.

The Indian government told the agency that of the 28 crew members who were on board, 24 are citizens of the country. Indian authorities are trying to establish whether the two missing crew members were Indian citizens, the source said.

We are talking about the oil tanker Settebello. The vessel sails under the flag of Palau, belongs to a company registered in the UAE, and is operated by an Indian operator.

The British group reported that the tanker was transmitting messages about a fire in the engine room 20 nautical miles northeast of the Omani port of Sohar and the Omani Navy responded to the distress signal.

As suggested by Reuters, the cargo on board the tanker may be related to Iran. The vessel can carry up to 47 thousand tons of oil products.

The United States began the blockade of Iranian ports and exports on April 13. On June 8, the US Central Command announced that US forces had disabled seven vessels that did not comply with the rules, redirected 134 others that complied, and allowed 42 vessels providing humanitarian assistance to pass.

The day before, on Monday, American troops disabled the unloaded Marivex oil tanker in Gulf of Oman — the ship was trying to enter the Iranian port.

Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMOR) Arsenio Dominguez called on "all interested parties to act with the highest degree of responsibility."

"The protection of their lives must remain a top priority at all times," Arsenio Dominguez said.