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Indian sailor dies from medical complications aboard tanker in Oman

'Crew is using cold ⁠water ​bottles in a desperate attempt to slow ​decomposition - a horrifying and health-risking situation,' the union says

Representational image Shutterstock picture.

Reuters, PTI
Published 14.06.26, 02:33 PM

An Indian national died due to medical complications aboard a vessel currently docked at Duqm Port in Oman, according to the Indian embassy in Muscat.

In a post on X on Saturday, the Indian mission identified the deceased as Nishanth Uirthanathan, who was on board MT Celestial when he passed away.

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"Indian national Mr Nishanth Uirthanathan passed away due to medical complications," it said, adding that his mortal remains are currently on the vessel at Duqm Port.

The embassy 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, as it conveyed its condolences to the bereaved family.

India ​has more than 300,000 seafarers working across global shipping fleets, ​according to government data. More than 18,000 Indian seafarers ⁠are employed in the Middle East, an official in the ​country's shipping ministry said last week.

The death comes days after three Indian ​seafarers were killed in a US strike on a tanker off Oman, triggering criticism from the public and opposition parties.

Opposition parties have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi ​to raise the issue with US President Donald Trump on ​the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit later this week.

And on Friday, ‌India ⁠took the rare step of lodging a second protest with the US over a strike that took place more than three months into the US-Israeli war on Iran.

India's foreign ministry said it had ​summoned the US ​chargé d’affaires to ⁠convey "its deep concern over the use of lethal and deadly force against civilian shipping."

The body of ​35-year-old Nishanth Uirthanathan, who died on June 11, remained ​onboard ⁠for more than two days without proper refrigeration, the Forward Seamen's Union of India said on social media on Saturday.

"Crew is using cold ⁠water ​bottles in a desperate attempt to slow ​decomposition - a horrifying and health-risking situation," the union said, sharing a video it said ​was from the tanker.

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