Pune: Heramb Karmarkar, a 30-year-old marine engineer from Pune who went missing after an attack on the merchant vessel GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz, has died, his family confirmed on Wednesday.
Karmarkar’s father-in-law, Vivek Tandon, told IANS the family’s sole request is that his body be returned “intact” to India. Ten Indian nationals aboard the Cyprus-flagged container ship were rescued following the attack on Sunday, while one crew member remained unaccounted for, authorities said.
India condemned the assault, describing the repeated attacks on commercial shipping in the region as “deeply worrisome.” The Ministry of External Affairs said the Indian Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation, coordinating with Omani authorities in the ongoing search-and-rescue operation, and providing assistance to the ship’s management and affected families. The embassy thanked Omani officials for their support.
US Central Command has said the GFS Galaxy was attacked by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in one crew member missing. The US statement added that Washington would continue operations to degrade Iran’s ability to strike civilian mariners and commercial vessels.
The Strait of Hormuz, a choke point for around one-fifth of global oil trade, has seen rising tensions and repeated incidents that underscore concerns for energy security and maritime safety.
(Inputs from IANS)