Indian Sailor Killed in Strait of Hormuz Attack, Family Devastated
VISAKHAPATNAM: The family of Indian sailor Patnala Suresh, a native of Sriharipuram in Visakhapatnam, was left devastated after he was confirmed dead following an attack on the Palau-flagged vessel MT Settebello near the Strait of Hormuz. Patnala Suresh was serving as Chief Engineer on board the vessel and was among three Indian crew members killed in the incident.
P Bhargavi, wife of Patnala Suresh, said she spoke to her husband a few days before he was killed in the attack on the merchant vessel MT Settebello off the coast of Oman. She said he sounded worried due to the tense situation at sea. She said, “A few days ago, I got a phone call from my husband Patnala Suresh, and when I asked about his safety because of the ongoing unrest, my husband sounded distressed and said the situation was not good and was waiting to come back home. However, the situation has changed drastically, and I have lost my husband.”
The ship reportedly came under attack on Wednesday while carrying 24 Indian crew members. Officials said 21 crew members were rescued, while three were reported missing before their bodies were later recovered. Bhargavi described the distressing hours after she was informed of the incident. She said, “Last night, they called and informed me that a drone attack had taken place on the ship where my husband was working and that three Indian crew members were missing. My husband's name was among them.”
She added that after several hours of follow-up, authorities confirmed that her husband’s body had been recovered and sent her a photograph. She said she identified him through a tattoo on the body. Suresh had been at sea for more than four months and was preparing to return home. Although he had received his relieving letter, he was waiting for a replacement crew member before disembarking. He is survived by his wife and two sons.
Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal expressed condolences in a post on X, saying that the mortal remains of the three deceased Indian sailors would be brought back to India at the earliest. Officials at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi said they are in touch with the Indian Embassy in Muscat and other authorities to assist the family and speed up the repatriation process.
Stay updated with the latest Visakhapatnam news. Download the TOI App. About the Author: Nalla Ram Babu is a Special Correspondent, at the Times of India-Visakhapatnam. He reports on crime, rural development, road transport, Indian Navy, sea food industry, weather, research in agriculture, legal, civic issues and data-driven stories. He holds postgraduate degree in journalism & mass communication.
