Indian Engineer's Remains Return After 22-Day Wait Following Iraq Tanker Attack
The mortal remains of additional chief engineer Deonandan Prasad Singh, aged 54, have finally arrived in India after a prolonged 22-day wait. Singh tragically lost his life aboard the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MT Safesea Vishnu, which was attacked on the night of March 11 near Khor AL Zubair Port close to Basra in Iraq.
Family's Anguish and Allegations of Negligence
Singh, a resident of Kandivli in Mumbai, had last spoken with his daughter and other family members just hours before the fatal incident. His family members revealed that he had been working on shore jobs for the past few years but was compelled by his company, Bravo Shipping, to join the ship in February. They have strongly alleged that the shipping company has neither contacted them nor assisted in expediting the repatriation process of his mortal remains back to India.
"Had authorities been a little proactive, we would not have waited 22 days for his mortal remains," stated Singh's brother-in-law, Dr. Chandan Kumar, in an interview on Thursday. "I did all the legwork to get the matter expedited after the ministry and authorities took information from us over the phone and then emailed us. Bravo Shipping has not spoken with the family."
Journey of the Remains and Final Rites
Singh's mortal remains arrived in Delhi and subsequently reached Patna on Wednesday. From Patna, the remains were transported by ambulance to Rani Bamiya village in the Sanhaula block of Bhagalpur district, where his final rites were conducted. This arduous journey marked the end of a painful wait for his grieving family.
Compensation Process Initiated
A source from the Director General of Shipping in Mumbai confirmed that they have initiated the process of securing compensation from the company for Singh's family. This step aims to provide some financial relief amidst their profound loss.
Personal Tributes and Unanswered Questions
Vishal Jaiswal, a friend of Singh from Navi Mumbai, expressed his grief in a Facebook post, highlighting how the conflict in the Middle East has brought devastation to their doorstep. His post read: "In the morning, tragedy struck us hard and completely out of the blue. We were shocked to hear that our classmate, #DeoNandanPrasadSingh, a seafarer whose ship was on anchorage in #Basra, was attacked, and we lost him."
Jaiswal also praised Singh's daughter, an incredibly brave young medical student, for supporting her mother throughout the ordeal. However, he noted that she eventually broke down, still awaiting her brother's return from Japan, where he is on a study tour. She is left grappling with haunting questions: Why was her father the only one who died when everyone else was rescued in the attack? Why will she never see her father again?
This tragic incident underscores the vulnerabilities faced by seafarers in conflict zones and raises serious concerns about the responsiveness of shipping companies and authorities in such crises.
