LUCKNOW: Three Indian sailors who were reported missing after a US strike on the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Settebello off the coast of Oman have now been confirmed dead. Among them was Shivanand Chaurasia, a resident of Surauli village in Deoria district, who was serving aboard the vessel near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed that the three Indian seafarers, initially listed as missing, were later found dead following the attack on the commercial vessel. The tanker, carrying 24 Indian crew members, came under a US military strike near the Oman coast earlier this week. Twenty-one crew members were rescued, while the three missing sailors were later confirmed dead.Shivanand Chaurasia was the elder of two brothers. He worked as a sailor on the Singapore-managed vessel and had left home around seven months ago for duty, according to family members.The family first learned of the tragedy through Shivanand’s younger brother, Ram Pravesh Chaurasia, who works in Dubai. He received information about the incident and informed the family over the phone on Thursday morning.The confirmation triggered scenes of grief at the family home. Shivanand is survived by his father Ramji Chaurasia, mother Kalawati Devi, wife Sushila, five-year-old son Rajveer, and two-year-old daughter Vanika.As news of his death spread in the village, local residents from nearby areas gathered at the family’s home to offer condolences.The deaths have prompted strong reactions in India, with the government lodging a protest over the attack and directing officials to facilitate the repatriation of the rescued crew members as well as the mortal remains of the deceased sailors.
