The father of 23-year-old Indian seafarer Aditya Sharma, who was killed in a US military strike on the oil tanker MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman, has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre to strengthen safety measures for Indian sailors working in conflict-prone waters.
Rajesh Sharma, the grieving father, welcomed Modi's recent remarks on maritime security at the G7 Summit but urged the government to take concrete steps to ensure that Indian seafarers can work without fear in volatile regions.
"The Prime Minister might be bound by his diplomatic responsibilities, and he could not raise his voice in the manner he should have. I still want to thank him, and I wish that our sailors and seafarers will be safe in the future after his statement... I want to appeal to the government to ensure the safety of our seafarers," he told ANI.
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Aditya Sharma, a deck cadet from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district, was among three Indian crew members who lost their lives when the Palau-flagged tanker was struck near the Strait of Hormuz. Twenty-one other Indian crew members on board were rescued by Omani authorities. According to his family, Aditya had sent a message approximately an hour before the fatal strike.
The incident has triggered diplomatic tensions between India and the United States. New Delhi formally protested the deaths and raised the matter through diplomatic channels.
The issue was further highlighted during Modi's interactions at the G7 Summit in France, where he stressed the importance of secure maritime routes and the protection of seafarers. "Several Indian civilians have also lost their lives. The safety of seafarers, who connect nations through global maritime trade, is our responsibility," Modi said.
"I heard about that. It's a rough profession, and we work together on it," Trump said, while adding, "This has been happening throughout time, but we work together. We love all those people. They are great people."
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