Family of Pune engineer killed in aerial attack on merchant ship off Oman coast awaits his mortal remains | Pune News
Pune: The family of city-based marine engineer Heramb Karmarkar, who died following an attack on a Cyprus-flagged commercial vessel off the coast of Oman, has appealed to the Centre to facilitate the urgent return of his mortal remains.“Our family is in deep grief. We are currently waiting for his remains and are reaching out to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to determine the future course of action,” a close family member told TOI on Wednesday.The container ship GFS Galaxy, on which Karmarkar was serving, was targeted in an aerial attack early Sunday morning while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. According to family members, the vessel had just crossed the strait when the incident occurred. Vivek Tondan, a relative, confirmed that Heramb’s wife had received a message from him earlier that day informing her that the vessel was crossing the strategic waterway. That message turned out to be his final communication with his loved ones.Maharashtra leader Sunetra Pawar expressed her condolences on social media, confirming the tragic news. “In an aerial attack on a merchant ship in the Strait of Hormuz, Heramb Karmarkar, an engineer from Pune working in the Merchant Navy, met with a tragic death. Before the attack, Heramb communicated with his family—a conversation that has now become a heartbreaking memory. I offer my heartfelt condolences to his family in this sorrowful moment,” she said.Karmarkar is survived by his wife, mother, and younger sister.The Ministry of External Affairs had issued a statement on Sunday regarding the incident, though at the time, Karmarkar was officially listed as missing. “We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman. Of the 11 Indian nationals on board, 10 have been rescued so far, while one Indian national is reportedly missing. Our embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with Omani authorities in the search and rescue operation,” the MEA statement read.With the family now confirming his death, the focus has shifted to the diplomatic process of bringing his body back to Pune for the final rites.
