Missing Indian seafarer confirmed dead after merchant vessel attack near Oman
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Missing Indian seafarer confirmed dead after merchant vessel attack near Oman")
Indian marine engineer dies in Hormuz ship attack, MEA working to bring body home Photograph: (AFP)
Thirty-year-old Indian marine engineer Heramb Karmarkar, who went missing after a merchant vessel was attacked near Oman, has been confirmed dead. His grieving family has appealed to the Government of India to bring his mortal remains home safely. Scroll down for the full story.
Mumbai: An Indian marine engineer who went missing after a merchant vessel came under attack near the coast of Oman has been confirmed dead, his family said on Wednesday.
Heramb Karmarkar, 30, from Pune in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, was among the crew aboard the merchant vessel GFS Galaxy when it was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. The strategically important waterway is one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes and has witnessed heightened security concerns in recent months.
Following the attack, Indian authorities confirmed that several crew members had been rescued, while Karmarkar remained unaccounted for. His family has now confirmed that he did not survive the incident.
Speaking to news agency IANS, Karmarkar's father-in-law, Vivek Tandon, appealed to the Indian government to ensure the safe return of his mortal remains.
"He was our 30-year-old child, not an elder. We request the Government of India to ensure that our son's body is handed over to us safely and brought back home," Tandon said.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
The Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Oman are working with local authorities, the vessel's management and other stakeholders to complete the formalities for repatriating Karmarkar's body to India.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the risks faced by commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea passage linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. The route carries a substantial share of the world's crude oil and cargo shipments, making disruptions there a matter of global concern.
Indian officials have not yet released further details about the circumstances of the attack or the ongoing investigation. Authorities are expected to examine the sequence of events that led to the fatal incident, while diplomatic efforts continue to support the victim's family.
India is among the world's largest suppliers of seafarers to the international shipping industry, and the safety of Indian crew members operating in conflict-prone waters remains a key concern for New Delhi.
