Widow of Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh requests return of body following fatal vessel attack in Hormuz
Visakhapatnam, June 11
The family of Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh, one of the three Indian seafarers killed in the military strike on the commercial vessel MT Settebello off the coast of Oman, has 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."
A total of 24 Indian crew members were onboard MT Settebello, and officials confirmed that 21 were rescued, while three died in the US attack.
Speaking to ANI, Bhargavi said that her husband was the last crew member among the three previously declared missing to be rescued.
"Last night, I received a call from a particular office informing me that three of the crew members were missing, of whom one person was my husband, Suresh Patnala. So, so far, they're missing. But they are not confirming if it was done by the US Navy or Iran Navy. No one is coming forward to accept the incident, but I lost him and the other two crew members were also declared dead at night only. But his body was not retrieved at night, so the next morning, another rescue operation was held by the Royal Oman Ship crew, and after that, they rescued him. They identified, and then they informed, and they clarified to me that he is no more," he said.
East Coast Fishing Boat Owners Association President Janakiram also questioned the circumstances surrounding the attack on a commercial ship from India.
"Yesterday evening, a US military attacked an Indian commercial ship off the Oman coast area. In this incident, three seafarers on a commercial ship were killed by the US military. It's a very tragic situation. At that time of attack, almost 24 sailors is there in that ship. It is a purely Indian ship. But why does the US military attack a commercial ship? We can't understand. This is It's not an Indian ship, it's not a military ship. It's not a coast guard ship. What about the bilateral agreements between the USA and India? There are diplomatic talks also going on every 15 days," he said.
"We requested the Ministry of External Affairs to safely reach the dead bodies and hand them over to the victim families and help to the shipping authority and the shipping ministry. What compensation is given from the shipping ministry and shipping company to subsidise the deceased sailors' families?" he added.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) efforts are underway to bring the mortal remains of three crew members to India at the earliest.
Responding to questions during an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that the attack on MT Jalveer was carried out by the US Navy operating in the region.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Why on earth would a US military vessel attack a commercial Indian ship? This raises serious questions about maritime security protocols and whether proper identification was done before opening fire. Bilateral agreements between India and USA need to be reviewed after this tragic incident.
My deepest condolences to Bhargavi ji and the families of the other sailors. This is a failure of diplomatic channels. The MEA should have been more proactive in protecting Indian lives abroad, especially in volatile regions like Hormuz. Our sailors risk their lives every day for global trade, and this is how they are treated? 🙏
Very concerning that no one is taking responsibility for this attack—neither the US Navy nor Iran. The fact that the body was only recovered after a second rescue operation by Omani forces highlights poor coordination. India must demand a thorough investigation and ensure that such incidents are not swept under the rug.
As a former seafarer, I can tell you that the life of a merchant navy officer is already full of stress and danger. Now attacks from military forces add another layer of risk. The shipping company and ministry must compensate the families generously. Patnala Suresh ji's sacrifice cannot go unrecognized. Bhai, we stand with you.
It's tragic that the family had to wait overnight for confirmation of his death, while the body wasn't even retrieved initially. The mental trauma inflicted on Bhargavi ji is immense. The government should also provide psychological support to the families of the deceased and the rescued crew members who witnessed this horror.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.