Journalism of Courage
Family confirms death of Pune man missing after Hormuz ship attack
Heramb Karmarkar was a third engineer aboard container vessel MV GFS Galaxy
Bab al-Mandeb strait, situated between Yemen and Djibouti and Eritrea, is one of the key shipping routes.
Heramb Karmarkar, a third engineer aboard the container vessel MV GFS Galaxy who was missing after the ship was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, has been confirmed dead, his family said on Tuesday.
“We have been informed by the authorities now that Heramb is no more,” Rishi Tandon, a close family relative of Karmarkar, told The Indian Express.
Vivek Tondon, a close relative of Karmarkar, told The Indian Express, “We got a confirmation message about the death of Heramb from his company on Tuesday afternoon. The body is currently in custody of Oman Navy.”
“Following postmortem and other due procedures the body will be handed over to the company and will then be brought back to Pune. So far we have not been contacted by the External Affairs Ministry but our demand is the body be brought safely as soon as possible for the last rites,” Tondan added.
The attack
The M/V GFS Galaxy, which was carrying cargo, was sailing near Omani waters around 3.30 am IST on Sunday when a projectile struck it. The impact reportedly caused a fire in the engine room, leaving the ship without propulsion. The crew anchored the vessel before evacuating into lifeboats.
The ship had a crew of 24, including 11 Indians. Twenty-three of them were rescued about two hours after the evacuation by the Royal Navy of Oman. Karmarkar, believed to have been near the engine room when the attack occurred, was the only one unaccounted for.
Heramb’s last contact with his family was at 2.49 am IST on Sunday, when he confirmed he had safely crossed the strait. He was over three months into his tour at sea and was expected to return home to India soon after.
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US response
Following the attack, the US Central Command in a post on X mentioned: “At 7:15 pm Eastern Time (4.45 am IST) on July 12, US Central Command forces began launching the third round of strikes this week against Iran after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces blatantly attacked M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. A civilian crew member is missing, and the vessel is unable to continue the journey due to an onboard fire and significant engine room damage.”
Family’s distress over delayed information
The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) said Indian vessels continue to be targeted despite repeated diplomatic assurances, and criticised the delay in official updates on Karmarkar’s condition. “Ceasefire in April, Operation Freedom in May, Peace Deal in June – yet Indian vessels continue to be prime targets. In this attack, for over 32 hours, no information on his whereabouts or condition was updated by the authorities, keeping the family in deep distress,” the union said.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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