Three Indian seafarers lost their lives in an incident aboard a foreign-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, leaving their families and the maritime community in deep mourning. The vessel had a total of 24 Indian crew members on board, of whom 21 were rescued safely. Authorities are currently making arrangements to bring the bodies of the deceased back to India.
The deceased have been identified as *Aditya Sharma, a cadet, **Shivanand Chaurashiya, a fitter, and **Patnala Suresh*, the vessel’s chief engineer. Officials confirmed their identities and stated that all necessary procedures are underway to repatriate their mortal remains to their families.
The company operating the vessel said it was engaged in legitimate commercial operations at the time of the incident. It also stated that the ship had no involvement in any unlawful activities and called for an independent and transparent international investigation to establish the facts surrounding the tragedy.
The loss of the three seafarers has deeply affected their families. Rajesh Sharma, the father of Aditya Sharma, said the family is waiting for his son’s body to be brought back to India. He shared that Aditya was originally expected to return home earlier, but his duty had been extended. He also urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the deaths of the three Indian crew members.
The Indian government has assured that all necessary assistance is being provided to the affected families and that efforts are underway to bring the bodies home at the earliest. It has also reiterated the importance of ensuring the safety and security of commercial shipping and civilian maritime operations in the region.
According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, more than *18,000 Indian seafarers* are currently working across the Gulf region. The tragic incident has once again highlighted the risks faced by Indian seafarers serving on international vessels and the importance of ensuring their safety while at sea.
