&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Indian seafarer dies aboard vessel off Oman coast, embassy begins repatriation process")
An Indian seafarer who fell ill while serving aboard MT Celestial has died near the coast of Oman, with the Indian Embassy in Muscat confirming that efforts are underway to bring his mortal remains back to India.
The deceased was identified as Nishanth Uirthanathan, a 35-year-old Second Officer from Tamil Nadu. According to the Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI), he died at around 1800 hrs on June 11 after suffering medical complications while the vessel was at sea.
In a statement posted on X on Saturday, the Embassy of India in Muscat said, “An Indian national, Nishanth Uirthanathan, passed away due to medical complications. His mortal remains are currently onboard MT Celestial at Duqm Port. The Embassy has been in continuous contact with the ship management company and is coordinating closely with all concerned stakeholders”.
"Necessary arrangements are being made for the early repatriation of the mortal remains to India. Our deepest condolences to the bereaved family during this difficult time," it added.
Union raises concerns over medical assistance
Earlier, the Forward Seamen’s Union of India claimed that attempts to secure medical treatment and emergency evacuation for Uirthanathan were unsuccessful. In posts shared on X, the union said his body had remained aboard the vessel for two days after his death and urged authorities to facilitate its immediate repatriation.
The union also alleged that communication services at Duqm Port had been disrupted and that requests for assistance had not received a response from the concerned authorities.
In a video released by the union, the vessel's captain, Rajendra Yadav, said the officer could not receive treatment because of missile strikes and security-related restrictions in the region.
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“Despite repeated requests for assistance, the deceased remains onboard. The body has been onboard for the last 2 days and has started decomposing, causing severe emotional distress to the crew and raising serious health and humanitarian concerns,” Yadav said.
Incident comes amid heightened tensions with US
The development comes as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed India's "strong protest" to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over American military strikes on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman that led to the deaths of three Indian mariners.
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However, the United States maintained its position on enforcing its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. In remarks attributed to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Rubio said violations of the blockade and the transport of Iranian oil would not be accepted. He also urged commercial vessels operating in the area to comply with instructions issued by US forces.
The diplomatic exchange followed attacks on three vessels carrying Indian crew members off the coast of Oman this week. One of the incidents resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors aboard a merchant vessel.
