'Will US govt take responsibility?': Family mourns loss of Indian seafarer Aditya Sharma in MT Settebello attack

NEW DELHI/SHIMLA: The family of Indian seafarer Aditya Sharma, a native of Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, was left devastated after he was confirmed dead following an attack on the Palau-flagged vessel MT Settebello near the Strait of Hormuz.Aditya, who was serving as a deck cadet, was among the 24 Indian crew members onboard the vessel. Officials said 21 crew members were rescued, while three Indian seafarers died in the alleged US attack.As news of Aditya’s death reached his family, relatives broke down while speaking to reporters and demanded an inquiry into the incident. They also sought the return of his mortal remains.A family member told news agency ANI, "There is only one demand, we want to know with whose permission the captain took the ship forward.

We demand that Anurag Thakur and the Himachal government conduct an inquiry and find those responsible. Our heart is shattered."

Aditya’s uncle said the family had been trying to get information about him since receiving the news that he was missing."Yesterday, my brother called and told he (Aditya) was missing. I came to Jalandhar. We tried coordinating with the company the whole night, and they cooperated as well.

However, they were not revealing anything. He was on probation and was working for six months.""Around 1.30-2am, we got the news. We wish to receive his last remains soon. We demand that our MP, Himachal Pradesh and the External Affairs Ministry bring back his mortal remains. We also seek information about whether there was an attempt to rescue him or not," he added further.In Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district, the family of another deceased seafarer, Shivanand Chaurasia, was also left shattered after receiving confirmation of his death.

Relatives and neighbours broke down after the news arrived.The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) earlier said it was monitoring the situation and coordinating rescue efforts with authorities in Oman."We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello off the coast of Oman, earlier today. Of the 24 Indian crew onboard, 21 Indians have been rescued thus far and 03 Indians are reportedly missing. Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing Search and Rescue operation," the MEA said.The ministry added that repeated attacks on shipping were "deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region."India also reiterated its call for de-escalation, saying, "We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region."Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said restrictions on navigational rights and freedoms around the Strait of Hormuz were causing global instability and long-term economic shocks.