A shipwreck, the death of a sailor due to alleged negligence, and the death of three crew members on board a tanker – a series of separate incidents involving Indian nationals and a ship marked a bleak week near the Strait of Hormuz.
The three incidents within seven days highlighted the risks of operating in the turbulent waters of the Middle East, even as the United States and Iran move closer to signing a peace deal.
A ship flying the Indian flag sank off the coast of Oman
The Indian-flagged merchant ship, Virat 1, suffered an engine failure on Sunday morning, after which the US Navy rescued 14 Indian sailors on board.
The ship began sinking about 80 nautical miles east of Ras Al Hadd, off the coast of Oman, on Sunday morning. The incident comes amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region.
The Indian Embassy in Oman said that it had learned of an accident involving a motorized sailing ship flying the Indian flag off the coast of Oman, adding that search and rescue operations were being coordinated with the Omani authorities.
An Indian citizen dies due to medical complications
The Indian Embassy in Muscat said on Sunday that an Indian national, Nishanth Jurthanathan, 35, died due to medical complications on board the ship MT Celestial, which is currently docked at the Duqm Port in Oman.
However, the death drew criticism from the Seafarers’ Federation of India (FSUI), which represents Indian seafarers across the world, with the organization claiming that the sailor’s death was a result of negligence on the part of the ship owner.
The union said Iorthanathan did not receive timely medical assistance, and the evacuation was postponed amid “regional tensions.” It also raised questions about the preservation of the body and demanded an investigation into the case.
“The crew is using cold water bottles in a desperate attempt at a terrifying and health-hazardous situation,” the FSUI posted on
3 Indian sailors killed in an attack on an American oil tanker
Earlier, three Indian sailors were confirmed dead after the Palau-flagged ship MT Setibelo was attacked by a US aircraft off the coast of Oman.
India condemned the attack on Sitipilo and the Ministry of External Affairs summoned US Chargé d’Affairs Jason Meeks to register a strong protest over the incident.
The three Indian sailors were reported missing after the Omani Armed Forces rescued 25 crew members of the Palau-flagged ship, including 21 Indians.
Two other ships, MT Marivex and MT Jalveer, were also attacked by the US Navy. While MT Marivex, with 24 Indian sailors on board, is linked to Panama-based Arihant Shipping, MT Jalveer is owned by Liberia-based Jal Shipping.
