Indian Seafarer Dies Off Oman After Being 'Denied' Treatment Amid War; Embassy Begins Repatriation Process

Mumbai: A 35-year-old Indian seafarer, Nishanth Uirthanathan, died onboard a vessel off the Oman coast on June 11 after falling ill and allegedly receiving no medical treatment amid ongoing missile strikes and security issues.

The Indian embassy in Muscat on Saturday evening said it has been in continuous contact with the ship management company and is coordinating with all concerned stakeholders.

"Necessary arrangements are being made for the early repatriation of the mortal remains to India," the embassy said in a post on X, as it conveyed its condolences to the bereaved family.

The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) said the Second Officer on MT Celestial didn’t receive timely medical support. “Two days later, mortal remains remain onboard without proper preservation. Port Duqm, Oman, has shut down WiFi/comms, with authorities unresponsive,” it posted on X on Saturday.

Expressing serious concern over the plight of seafarers, the FSUI wrote, “Who cares for seafarers? They keep global trade moving but face neglect in medical care & repatriation amid conflicts they have nothing to do with. Demand urgent action for evacuation, body preservation & dignified return. RIP to all lost souls.”

The captain of the vessel, Capt. Rajendra Yadav, corroborated the information, saying the Tamil Nadu native Uirthanathan fell ill but was denied treatment due to ongoing strikes.

“Despite repeated requests for assistance, the deceased remains onboard. The body has been onboard for the last 3 days and has started decomposing, causing severe emotional distress to the crew and raising serious health and humanitarian concerns,” Yadav said in a letter shared by FSUI with ETV Bharat.

He accused the vessel’s owners, Romana Ship Management Co Ltd, and their local agent of ignoring requests for help. “Despite contacting port control multiple times, we have received no practical assistance. We have repeatedly been told to arrange and contact the local agent even though this is the responsibility of the vessel management and owners,” he said.

The captain also accused the company of denying effective support or coordination to resolve this humanitarian emergency.

In a separate letter, the crew members also signed a statement describing the events leading to Uirthanathan’s death.

“On June 8, the second officer was not feeling well and vomited continuously. This information was shared with the company, and the navy was called on VHF Channel 16, and the US Navy was also intimated with details of the sick patient. The situation worsened, and still there was no response,” the letter signed by 15 crew members reads.

The crew said that Uirthanathan’s condition deteriorated despite being given medicine and food by the colleagues, prompting them to contact the nearest Duqm port at 12:00 hours on June 11.

“We called Duqm Port Control and asked for medical aid and requested to evacuate the second officer. Port control asked the local agent in Duqm; by 14:00 hours, the company gave us the agent's details in Duqm, and we passed on the information. By 15:00 hours he had become unconscious,” the statement said.

In response to the distress calls, the FSUI secretary Manoj Yadav called for the immediate repatriation of Uirthanathan's remains and a probe into his death. He also called for immediate repatriation of his mortal remains and an inquiry into this casualty.

“We want to know whether he died due to a lack of medical facilities arising from the ongoing conflict in that region,” he said.

The owner company, Romana Ship Management also responded to the incident accusing the crew of refusing to follow orders to proceed to Shinas port. “It is further placed on record that three (03) days prior to this incident, you were advised to proceed to Shinas, which you refused without valid justification,” the company said.

Referring to the June 11 events, the owner company claimed that full assistance was given and detailed the sequence of events.

“At 1816 hours, we contacted the Royal Oman Navy requesting assistance. We were advised to immediately coordinate with MRCC, which we did at 1818 hours, clearly communicating the need for immediate medical evacuation. At 1901 hours, the Indian Embassy in Muscat was also informed to extend necessary support. We were instructed by the authorities to proceed towards Shinas Port, where all relevant authorities were prepared to assist,” it said.

Yadav slammed Romana Ship Management’s stance, saying that a seafarer has died in these unusual circumstances, and instead of taking responsibility, the company was busy blaming the crew members. “The call records will be there to be assessed too,” he said.

The crew had complained about shortages onboard, saying that they had been suffering from a shortage of supplies.

“For the past two to three months, rationing has been imposed due to inadequate provisions on board. In addition, many members have not received their salaries placing them under severe financial hardship,” the signed letter said.

Uirthanathan's death comes at a time when merchant ships and oil tankers have been hit near the Strait of Hormuz. In June alone, four vessels have been hit amid ongoing conflict. Previously, three people were killed on the Settebello vessel. The Indian government has summoned the U.S. chargé d'affaires twice in 48 hours to raise concerns about the safety of Indian seafarers.

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