A major accident amid Iran-Israel tensions: An Indian engineer was killed in a ship attack near Hormuz.

Amid the West Asia war, a 30-year-old Indian marine engineer from Bihar’s Gopalganj district has been killed in an alleged missile attack on a commercial vessel near the Strait of Hormuz.

The deceased has been identified as Sonu Gupta. He had been working with a Dubai-based shipping company for the past four years. Reportedly, he was on duty when the vessel allegedly came under attack while passing through the Strait of Hormuz near Saudi Arabia, according to News18.

Family awaits mortal remains

The tragic news reached his family on Tuesday, leaving them devastated. His relatives are now waiting for his mortal remains to be brought back to India.

Gupta was serving as an engineer aboard a commercial ship operated by Dubai-based Al Bayah Aden Ship Company, according to his family members. Sonu’s father, Sanjay Gupta, is a local businessman who runs a footwear shop.

MEA is yet to issue a statement regarding the attack and his death. Sonu had come home on leave recently and had gone back to Dubai only around 20 days ago to resume work, according to the family.

Another Indian sailor dies

In a separate incident, another Indian sailor, Herambh Karmarkar from Pune, died after an attack on the cargo vessel MV GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman.

Karmarkar had gone missing after the July 12 attack before his body was later recovered by Oman’s Coast Guard, according to the Indian Consulate in Dubai.

India has condemned the attack on the vessel and called for immediate de-escalation of tensions, while reiterating that commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure must not be targeted.

Advisory for Indian seafarers

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) has directed ship owners, ship managers and Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) companies to avoid deploying Indian seafarers on vessels undertaking voyages through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders, citing the heightened security situation in the Gulf region.