Navy Strikes Ship: Did Warnings Go Unheard?

On June 10, a US warplane struck the 182-metre tanker Settebello, killing chief engineer Suresh Patnala, fitter Shivanand Chaurasia, and trainee cadet Aditya Sharma. The attack happened at 7:14 am while most of the crew was asleep, with only a cadet reportedly on watch. Survivors claim no warnings were received, contradicting US military accounts of multiple warnings being issued.

The incident has prompted a diplomatic protest from India and a campaign by the Indian seamen's union, which is demanding compensation for the victims' families and an independent investigation into the strike, calling it a 'war crime'.

Naval warfare experts who reviewed US military footage suggest the Settebello was drifting or at rest at the time of the strike, raising questions about the legality of the action under international law, which prioritizes less destructive means for stopping suspected contraband ships.

While US military officials state that disabling a resisting vessel is safer than seizing it, legal experts emphasize that the vessel's state—moving or stationary—is crucial for determining the legality of such a strike. The ship's manager and owner have been unreachable, leaving families of the deceased grappling with grief and anger, seeking accountability for the loss of civilian lives.