Indian vessel sinks near Oman, crew rescued
An Indian national died due to medical complications aboard a vessel currently in Oman waters, while an Indian-flagged dhow (a traditional wooden sailing vessel) sank off the country’s coast following a mechanical failure on Sunday. All 14 crew members of MSV Virat 1 were rescued, officials said. The incident comes amid American military actions on merchant vessels defying the US’s naval blockade in the region.
“Rescue operation involving Indian Flagged MSV Virat 1 has been successfully completed. All 14 crew members have been rescued and are presently onboard Jabal Ali 9 heading to Mumbai. The crew members are safe and in good health,” the Indian Embassy in Oman said in a post on X. The Oman coast witnessed tensions last week as three vessels with Indian crew members came under US attack. One of them killed three seafarers.
The embassy in a separate post said that it has initiated efforts to return the body of Nishanth Uirthanathan, who died of medical complications on board MT Celestial in Oman waters.
“The Embassy remains in active coordination with local Omani authorities, port officials and the shipping company regarding Mr Nishanth Uirthanathan, who unfortunately died onboard MT Celestial due to medical conditions. Necessary arrangements have been made for prompt recovery of the mortal remains from the vessel. The Mission is in touch with the family and facilitating all formalities for the earliest repatriation of the mortal remains to India,” the mission posted on X.
It further said that the vessel is soon expected to berth at Duqm port, located in the southeastern coast of the Gulf country.
On Saturday, the mission confirmed that Uirthanathan had passed away due to medical complications. However, it did not provide details of the medical conditions that led to Uirthanathan’s death.
According to the Forward Seamen’s Union of India, Uirthanathan passed away on June 11 “after falling seriously ill”. On Saturday, they had posted a video clip of a visibly unwell Uirthanathan being offered food by a fellow crew member.
Details of the video could not be independently verified.
MT Celestial happens to be the same vessel which was stopped by the US Marines for a search drill last month on suspicion of violating the US blockade at the Strait of Hormuz, and later released after directing its crew to alter the its course.
