New Delhi: Deonandan Prasad Singh, an additional chief engineer (superintendent), of crude oil tanker MT Safesea Vishnu, lost his life on Wednesday in an attack on the Marshall Island-flagged vessel.
The incident took place when the ship-to-ship cargo loading operations was underway near Khor Al Zubair Port, near Basra in Iraq, amid the Iran-Israel-US war. This was confirmed through a press note issued by the Directorate General of Shipping.
The oil tanker was carrying around 48,000 metric tonnes of naphtha when it was hit. An underwater drone struck it. The authorities confirmed the Indian sailor died in the explosion whose visuals showed a massive ball of fire.
He is survived by his wife, two children
Singh, who was in his mid-50s, was a native of Bihar. He moved to Mumbai in 2019 with his wife and two children and lived in Kandivali East.
Singh sustained critical injuries following the attack on the tanker. He reportedly died during treatment. Fifteen other Indians were rescued from the vessel which burst into flames.
Singh had earlier worked with Neom Maritime, United Ocean Ship Management, Bernard Schulte Ship Management, Samson Maritime and Shipping Corporation. It is reported that the directorate general of shipping is in touch with Singh’s family members, who are devastated.
The management of the shipping company and its stakeholders have condoled Singh’s death. The company said it will extend every possible help to Singh’s family.
All crew members abandoned the vessel
After the drone struck the vessel, all crew members abandoned the ship and jumped into the water for safety. They were rescued by an STS tug operating nearby.
The Iraqi Coast Guard evacuated the remaining 27 crew members – which included 15 Indians and 12 Filipinos. They were safely transported to a small island near the Port of Basra.
Amid the Iran-Israel-US war in the Middle East, Tehran had claimed a coordinated underwater drone strike on two vessels in the Persian Gulf, one of which was the crude oil tanker Safesea Vishnu.