Deonandan Prasad Singh, Additional Chief Engineer (Superintendent), MT Safesea Vishnu, died on Wednesday following an attack on the Marshall Island-flagged tanker. The accident occurred during ship-to-ship loading operations near the port of Khor Al-Zubair, near Basra, Iraq, amid the ongoing conflict in the region. This came through a press note issued by the General Directorate of Shipping.
The tanker, which was carrying about 48,000 metric tons of naphtha, was hit by an unknown object. Initial reports indicate that a white unmanned speedboat carrying explosives approached the ship from the right side and collided with it, causing a major fire on board.
Singh, a native of Bihar and resident of Kandivali, leaves behind a wife and two children. He was in his mid-fifties.
Singh’s brother-in-law, Dr Chandan Kumar, said: “We learned about his death from his company. However, the shipping ministry has not told us anything. His son, who resides outside Mumbai, will reach the city on Friday. We are all in shock.”
Singh has previously worked with Neom Maritime, United Ocean Ship Management, Bernard Schulte Ship Management, and Samson Maritime and Shipping Corporation. The Directorate General of Shipping has been in contact with Singh’s family, and his wife is believed to be in a state of shock.
Following the accident, all crew members abandoned the ship and entered the water to seek safety. They were then rescued by an STS tug operating in the vicinity.
The Iraqi Coast Guard evacuated the remaining 27 crew members, including 15 Indians and 12 Filipinos. They were safely transferred to a small island near the port of Basra.
The Embassy of India in Baghdad is coordinating with the Iraqi authorities to ensure the welfare of Indian citizens.
