Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], June 19 (ANI): The mortal remains of Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh, one of the three Indian seafarers killed in a military strike on the commercial vessel MT Settebello off the coast of Oman, were brought to Visakhapatnam on Friday.
A week ago, the family of Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh made an emotional appeal to the Indian government to expedite the return of his mortal remains.
Suresh’s wife, Bhargavi, recounted the harrowing ordeal of receiving the news of her husband’s death. According to Bhargavi, she was initially informed that three crew members were missing, a group that included her husband.
‘I requested them to do the necessary things regarding the transportation of his body,’ Bhargavi told ANI. ‘I just requested them to do the favour as early as possible. He was a victim, suffering alone on the ship with no help for so long.’
The vessel, MT Settebello, came under fire on June 10 after US forces accused it of violating the ongoing naval blockade on Iranian ports. Of the 24 Indian crew members on board, 21 were rescued by Omani authorities, while three were later confirmed dead.
On June 12, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said he conveyed India’s strong protest to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the attacks that killed three Indian mariners. The Ministry of External Affairs had also lodged a protest with the US Charge d’Affaires regarding the attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman.
Later, the US Department of State, in a statement, said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in his telephonic conversation with Jaishankar, stressed that all commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz must adhere to orders by the US.
Meanwhile, at the G7 Summit, which took place in Evian, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over the impact of disruptions in maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz on the global economy during the conflict in West Asia and noted how Indian civilians lost their lives.
Crucially, the Prime Minister advocated for the protection of commercial crew members operating in volatile maritime zones, raising concerns about the safety of Indian seafarers amid tensions in the Gulf region. Asserting that the welfare of Indian sailors remains a priority for India, the Prime Minister stated, ‘I believe the safety of Indian seafarers is critical.’
He added that he was confident the security of seafarers would receive priority under the emerging peace understanding in the region. (ANI)
