CHENNAI: The body of a 35-year-old sailor from Tamil Nadu, who died aboard a stranded vessel off the Oman coast, is being preserved using cold water bottles to prevent it from decomposing, even as the captain of the ship and the shipping company are trading serious allegations of negligence and delayed medical evacuation.
The Indian Embassy in Muscat said efforts were under way to facilitate the earliest repatriation of the mortal remains of Nishanth Uirthanathan, a native of Cruz Puram in Thoothukudi district, who was serving as Second Officer on MT Celestial Sea, which was searched by US Marines who are deployed to enforce the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz ordered by President Donald Trump.
While the vessel was anchored near Duqm Port off Oman coast, Nishanth fell seriously ill on June 8 and died on June 11 after he did not get timely assistance despite repeated requests for medical evacuation.
A ‘Statement of Incident’ signed by multiple crew members aboard MT Celestial Sea claimed Nishanth first reported vomiting and illness on June 8. According to the document, the crew repeatedly informed the company office and also called the US Navy on maritime emergency communication channels, including VHF Channel 16, seeking assistance.
Nishanth was administered medicines, oral rehydration solutions, rice and fluids onboard as his condition deteriorated over the next two days, said the crew members, alleging that despite repeated alerts to authorities and requests for emergency evacuation, there was initially ‘no response’ regarding the medical emergency.
On June 11 morning, Nishanth reportedly stopped consuming food and water. As the vessel approached Duqm Port later in the day, the crew sought urgent medical evacuation assistance. The statement claimed he became unconscious around 3 pm.
However, another internal document issued by Romana Ship Management Co Ltd, the vessel management company, levelled serious accusations against the ship’s captain, Captain Rajendra Yadav, alleging failure to cooperate with emergency rescue efforts.
In a letter addressed to the captain, the company claimed it had immediately contacted the Royal Oman Navy, Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), and the Indian Embassy in Muscat after being informed that Nishanth had no pulse and showed no signs of life.
The company alleged that authorities instructed the vessel to proceed to Shinas Port to facilitate emergency response, medical support, and repatriation procedures, but the captain allegedly refused repeated directions to move the vessel.
The management accused the captain of gross negligence, failure of command responsibility, disregard for crew welfare and obstruction of emergency assistance. It further warned that the captain’s conduct could amount to a serious breach of professional duty and even mutiny onboard, adding that the matter could be escalated to the Directorate General of Shipping and other authorities.
According to family members, Nishanth had spoken to his wife Sarabin and relatives over phone on June 5. Days later, when the family attempted to contact him again, they were allegedly informed by the shipping company that he had been hospitalised after falling ill. Subsequently, communication stopped and the family later learnt of his death through social media posts by seafarers.
“We still do not know the true reason for his death. My husband spoke to us normally just days ago. Now his body is lying stranded in the ship,” Sarabin told reporters after submitting a petition to the Thoothukudi Collector seeking urgent intervention.
She appealed to both the Union and Tamil Nadu governments to ensure the immediate repatriation of the body and provide compensation for the family, including their four-year-old daughter and 10-month-old son.
The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI), meanwhile, alleged that the shipowner failed to pay a medical evacuation fee of 10 Omani riyals (less than Rs 2,800), resulting in fatal delays in treatment.
“A young Indian seafarer’s life cost just 10 Omani riyal. Nishanth Uirthanathan died due to shipowner negligence. Delays in help and failure to arrange the handling of mortal remains raise serious questions,” the union alleged in a social media post.
The union further claimed that Nishanth’s body remained onboard for more than two days without proper refrigeration. “Crew members are using cold water bottles in a desperate attempt to slow decomposition,” it said, describing the situation as horrifying and health-risking.