An Indian sailor who went missing after an attack on the cargo ship MV GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman has died, the Indian Consulate in Dubai confirmed on Wednesday.
She added that Indian officials are coordinating closely with the UAE authorities and the shipping company to provide all possible assistance to the family of the deceased sailor.
“We express our deepest condolences on the tragic death of an Indian national due to an attack on the merchant ship MV GFS Galaxy on July 12, 2026,” the mission said in a post on the X website.
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The attack on the Cypriot-flagged ship MV GFS Galaxy on Sunday off the coast of Oman resulted in the loss of one of its 11-member Indian crew. Ten Indian crew members of the ship were rescued. The missing Indian national, 30-year-old Hirambha Karmarkar from Pune, was a third engineer on board the cargo ship when it was attacked.
According to Gulf News, the shipping company informed Karmarkar’s family on Tuesday that the Omani Coast Guard had recovered his body, about 60 hours after he was reported missing. The Indian mission said: “The Consulate is in contact with the bereaved family and is coordinating closely with the relevant UAE authorities and the shipping company to provide all possible support and assistance to the family.”
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His father-in-law, Vivek Tandon, said: “We are waiting for his remains, which are currently with the Omani Navy. Hirambah had been on board the ship for the past five months and was scheduled to sign soon.”
Karmarkar is survived by his wife, mother and younger sister. Tandon added that he completed his studies in marine engineering from City of Glasgow College in the United Kingdom and joined the Merchant Navy.
India condemned the attack on the ship and called for an immediate easing of tension in the region.
