Screengrab from X video posted by U.S. Central Command The family of Aditya Sharma, a 23-year-old Indian deck cadet who was killed aboard the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello off the coast of Oman, has demanded a high-level investigation into the incident. The incident occurred amid continuing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints for oil and gas shipments, where the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has heightened risks for commercial shipping. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has lodged a strong protest with the United States following the attack, while New Delhi has begun efforts to repatriate the deceased seafarers and the surviving crew. Aditya, who was from the Galore area of Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district, was among three Indian crew members who were initially reported missing and later confirmed dead. Twenty-one of the vessel’s 24 Indian crew members were rescued. His family says it is seeking answers about what led to the deaths and whether adequate measures were taken to protect and rescue the crew. “There are a lot of ways to control those cargo ships. You have no right to attack them with deadly missiles,” Aditya’s father, Rajesh Sharma, told Indian media while urging the government to take a strong stance over the incident. The family is also awaiting the return of Aditya’s mortal remains. Rajesh Sharma has questioned why the vessel was operating in a high-risk area despite worsening security conditions in the region. According to him, Aditya had informed the family that the ship had received warnings from the US Navy in the days before the incident while attempting to navigate through the Strait of Hormuz. The family has also alleged that Aditya faced exploitation and excessive work demands aboard the vessel. According to his father, the young cadet had wanted to leave the ship earlier this year and had filed a complain