The Indian Consulate in Dubai confirmed the death of Pune sailor Herambh Karmarkar, who went missing following the July 12 attack on the MV GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman. His body was recovered by the Omani Coast Guard nearly 60 hours after the incident, marking the 14th Indian casualty in the ongoing West Asia conflict.

Key Takeaways

  • Herambh Karmarkar (30), third engineer, confirmed dead after the Oman coast attack.
  • Body recovered 60 hours post-attack; 10 other Indian crew members were rescued.
  • Toll of Indians in West Asia war rises to 14 since February 28.

In a tragic development, the Indian Consulate in Dubai confirmed on Wednesday that Herambh Karmarkar, a sailor from Pune who had been missing since the July 12 attack on a cargo vessel off the coast of Oman, has died. Karmarkar, 30, was serving as the third engineer on the Cyprus-flagged MV GFS Galaxy when the vessel came under attack in the volatile waters of the region.

Recovery and Official Confirmation

Out of the 11 Indian crew members aboard the ship, 10 were successfully rescued in the immediate aftermath of the attack. However, Karmarkar remained unaccounted for until his body was recovered by the Omani Coast Guard nearly 60 hours later. “We express our deepest condolences at the tragic demise of an Indian national due to an attack on the commercial vessel MV GFS Galaxy on 12 July 2026,” the Mission stated on social media platform X. This incident raises the death toll of Indians in the West Asia conflict to 14 since hostilities escalated on February 28.

A Promising Career Cut Short

Hailing from Pune, Karmarkar was a qualified marine engineer, having completed his studies at the City of Glasgow College in the UK before joining the merchant navy. His father-in-law, Vivek Tandon, revealed that the family was informed of the tragedy by the shipping company on Tuesday evening. Karmarkar had been on board the vessel for five months and was scheduled to sign off soon to return home to his wife, mother, and younger sister. The news has left his family in Pune devastated, as they await the return of his mortal remains, which are currently held by the Oman Navy.

Diplomatic Response and Repatriation

The Indian Consulate has assured full support to the bereaved family, stating that officials are closely coordinating with UAE authorities and the shipping company. “The Consulate is in touch with the bereaved family and is closely coordinating with the relevant UAE authorities and the shipping company to provide all possible support and assistance to the family,” the Indian mission affirmed. Efforts are now underway to repatriate the body to India for the last rites.