Mumbai: The death of Devanandan Prasad Singh, the marine engineer from Bihar, in an underwater drone strike on a tanker off the port of Basra in Iraq on Wednesday has raised questions on whether Iran should be targetting commercial shipping close to the Strait of Hormuz.
Singh, in his mid-50s, had shifted from his longtime home Bihar to Mumbai in 2019 along with his family – wife, and two children.
Since then he had been living in Mumbai’s Kandivali East, officials said. Singh served as the additional chief engineer (superintendent) on the US-owned crude oil tanker MT Safesea Vishnu, as reported by NDTV.
While Iran has confirmed a coordinated underwater drone strike on two vessels in the Persian Gulf, one of which was the tanker Safesea Vishnu, the ship’s owner has said this should serve as a “wake-up call” for all countries who have seafarers on merchant vessels that have nothing to do with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The head of the vessel’s operating company has said that the attack appears to have been “deliberate and calculated”, warning that the commercial shipping lanes must not become battle zones.
S V Anchan, chairman of the Safesea Group said the March 11 strike near Iraq’s Basra exposed the growing risks faced by merchant seafarers amid geopolitical tensions.
“The devastating attack on MT Safesea Vishnu is a stark reminder that the world’s merchant seafarers are increasingly being exposed to the dangers of geopolitical conflict,” Anchan told PTI in a statement.
“From our initial assessment after speaking to the surviving crew members, the attack appears to have been deliberate and calculated. Two unmanned boats with explosives rammed into the port side of the vessels. This speaks about the extremists’ mindsets of the Iranian regime,” the statement said.
Anchan said the crew came under attack late on March 11 while the tanker was anchored and conducting routine ship-to-ship loading operations involving about 53,000 metric tonnes of naphtha.
“At anchorage, with the vessel in a laden condition, evacuation options were severely limited. When the explosion and resulting fire engulfed the port side of the vessel, the crew had only moments to react,” he said.
Lowering lifeboats on the port side became impossible due to fire and dam
age, while cargo operations on the starboard side further restricted escape routes.
“In those terrifying moments, all 28 crew members were forced to jump into the water to escape the burning vessel. Their courage and instinct for survival saved lives,” Anchan said.
Singh could not be saved despite rescue efforts by the Iraqi Coast Guard and local authorities, one seafarer could not be saved.
“Despite being recovered from the water and receiving immediate medical attention, including CPR from the responding teams, he could not be revived,” the statement said.
“How long will the world allow merchant seafarers to be caught in the crossfire of regional conflicts?” “The global shipping industry carries more than 90 per cent of world trade. Every nation depends on it. Every economy relies on the uninterrupted movement of energy, food, and essential goods across the seas. Yet the people who make this system work – the seafarers themselves – are increasingly being placed at risk,” it said.
“But they should never be expected to risk their lives because of wars they have nothing to do with. The attack on MT Safesea Vishnu must serve as a wake-up call for governments, maritime authorities, and the international community. Commercial shipping lanes cannot become battle zones. Merchant vessels cannot become targets. And the lives of seafarers must never be treated as collateral damage,” it said.
The remaining 27 crew members are safe and receiving assistance from the Embassy of India in Iraq, which is coordinating their repatriation.
The Embassy of India in Baghdad said on a post on X that it is in contact with Iraqi authorities and the rescued sailors. “Embassy extends its deepest condolences to the family members of the deceased crew member,” it said.
Anchan also welcomed the “strong statement” by the Government of India condemning the attack and acknowledged support from the Consulate General of India in New York and authorities in Bahrain.
“The support extended by the Iraqi administration and emergency responders deserves recognition and gratitude. Without their intervention, the number of casualties could have been far greater,” Anchan said.
The 2007-built tanker, sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, is reported to be listing to port while a specialised salvage team works to stabilise the vessel and ensure environmental safety in the Gulf.
Anchan described seafarers as “silent soldiers” of global commerce and said: “These men and women are not soldiers. They are not part of any military campaign. They are professionals who keep global trade moving – transporting the energy, food, and goods that sustain economies and societies around the world.”