Indian Authorities Coordinate Repatriation of Engineer Killed in Iran Attack
The Director General of Shipping, in close coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassy in Baghdad, has officially initiated the comprehensive process to repatriate the body of 54-year-old Kandivli resident Deonandan Prasad Singh. Singh served as an additional chief engineer aboard the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MT Safesea Vishnu, which was struck by an Iranian attack on Thursday.
Timeline for Repatriation and Airspace Constraints
According to sources who spoke to TOI on Saturday, the mortal remains could be brought home once the airspace opens this week. The tanker was positioned near Khor Al Zubair Port in Basra, Iraq, when it was attacked during the early hours of Thursday. Singh, who was among seventeen Indian crew members on board, sustained severe injuries during the assault and subsequently succumbed to them.
A source from Mumbai's DG Shipping office provided detailed clarification: "Singh's body, along with the rescued sixteen Indian crew members, will fly back once the airspace opens. The travel documents and the necessary local formalities are currently in process. At present, Iraq's airspace remains closed. Further, subject to completion of all formalities and reopening of airspace, the repatriation of the seafarers as well as the mortal remains is expected to take place next week, if all arrangements proceed as planned."
Final Communications and Family's Anguish
In a heartbreaking sequence of events, Singh spoke with his family on Wednesday evening and assured them that everything was perfectly fine before the ship was attacked. He called his family again at approximately 2:36 am on Thursday and urgently informed them that the ship was on fire. Tragically, afterwards, he did not respond to his family's repeated calls, as confirmed by a grieving family member.
Iran's Justification and Conflicting Reports
Meanwhile, Iran's official news agency IRNA stated that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck one of the two ships, specifically identifying the US-owned vessel Safesea Vishnu, because it had ignored warnings and failed to comply with orders. In contrast, Indian authorities earlier indicated that the Safesea Vishnu, which sailed under the Marshall Islands flag, was attacked by an unmanned speedboat. Singh's employer, Bravo Shipping Management, has not responded to TOI's email seeking an update on the incident.
Personal Background and Surviving Family
Originally hailing from Bihar, Singh relocated to Mumbai in 2019 and resided with his family at Raheja Eternity Society in Kandivli East. He is survived by his wife Kumkum Singh, his daughter Komal Singh who is a medical student at Nagpur medical college, and a son who is currently pursuing a management course in the United States.
