'All crew members are safe': India factchecks viral claims of Indian seafarer deaths on MT Liaki Freedom

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed viral claims that Indian seafarers died in an attack on the *Liaki Freedom*, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker operating off Oman. The MEA confirmed all 24 crew members were safe after speaking directly with the vessel’s master, labeling earlier reports as fabricated. The fact-check followed warnings from the MEA’s official social media handle to verify information before sharing. The clarification came amid a separate crisis involving the *MT Settebello*, a commercial tanker attacked by the U.S. Navy in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday. Three Indian sailors died in the strike, while 21 were rescued. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar condemned the attack, stating in a post on X that such actions against commercial shipping were unjustified. India formally protested to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, demanding accountability. The diplomatic fallout intensified on Friday when the MEA summoned U.S. Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks to protest ongoing attacks on commercial vessels. A second incident the prior day saw another ship carrying 20 Indian crew members targeted in the same region. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi confirmed the U.S. Navy was responsible for the strikes, emphasizing that all affected vessels were foreign-flagged. India is now managing both misinformation campaigns and direct confrontations with the U.S. over maritime security. The MEA has urged public caution against false claims while working to repatriate the remains of the three deceased sailors from the *MT Settebello*. The escalating tensions highlight the volatile security environment in the Gulf of Oman, where commercial shipping remains at risk.