New Delhi: The deaths of three Indian seafarers in recent US military action near the Gulf of Oman have revived painful memories of another tragedy nearly four decades ago, when an American missile strike mistakenly brought down a civilian aircraft carrying hundreds of passengers, including ten Indians.
India has lodged a strong diplomatic protest with the United States after three merchant vessels carrying Indian crew members came under separate military actions in the Gulf region within a span of days. The incidents resulted in the death of three Indian sailors and renewed concerns over the safety of civilian personnel operating in conflict-prone maritime zones.
The Ministry of External Affairs summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires and conveyed its deep concern over the repeated targeting of commercial vessels with Indian nationals onboard. New Delhi described the loss of civilian lives as unacceptable and called for accountability in the use of force against merchant shipping.
The recent developments have drawn comparisons with the 1988 destruction of Iran Air Flight 655, one of the deadliest civilian aviation disasters involving military action.
On July 3, 1988, the US Navy cruiser USS Vincennes fired two missiles at what it believed was a hostile military aircraft near the Strait of Hormuz. The target, however, turned out to be a civilian Airbus A300 operating a scheduled commercial flight from Bandar Abbas to Dubai.
All 290 people on board lost their lives, including ten Indian nationals. The incident shocked the world and remains a subject of debate over military judgment, identification failures and civilian protection during armed conflict.
Investigations later revealed that the aircraft had been misidentified amid heightened tensions in the Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war. Communication gaps, confusion over radar data and operational errors were cited among the factors that contributed to the fatal decision.
The current situation in the Gulf has once again placed civilian transport in the shadow of military operations. According to Indian authorities, three different merchant vessels carrying Indian seafarers were intercepted or attacked by US forces during enforcement actions linked to sanctions and maritime restrictions.
While one tanker was disabled without casualties, another attack claimed the lives of three Indian crew members. A third vessel also came under military action, prompting fresh diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Washington.
The latest incidents have reignited concerns about the vulnerability of civilian ships and workers operating in one of the world’s busiest and most strategically sensitive waterways. Families of Indian seafarers and maritime organisations have urged greater safeguards to prevent non-combatants from becoming casualties of geopolitical tensions.
As India seeks explanations over the recent deaths, the memory of Flight 655 serves as a reminder that errors in conflict zones can leave lasting scars far beyond the battlefield. Nearly 38 years apart, both tragedies underscore the human cost of split-second military decisions and the enduring demand for accountability whenever civilian lives are lost.
