United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that seafarers have a “rough profession” when asked if he had a message of condolence for the families of three Indian sailors who were killed in US military strikes on commercial ships in West Asia last week.

“This has been happening throughout time,” Trump said at a press briefing during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We love all of those people.”

The comment came a week after three Indians were killed and dozens evacuated when the US military repeatedly struck commercial ships in West Asia for allegedly violating sanctions and the blockade amid the conflict in the region. New Delhi had at the time twice summoned US’ chargé d’affaires to register a protest.

At the meeting on Wednesday, Modi told Trump that the safety of Indian seafarers was of “utmost importance” to the country.