Lucknow: Families of two Uttar Pradesh seafarers missing after a drone attack on a commercial tanker near Oman’s Sohar port on Oct 11 have demanded accountability from the ship’s captain, alleging lapses in emergency response and evacuation procedures.The missing crew members are Bir Bahadur Yadav (26) of Deoria and Amit Singh (20) of Kushinagar. Their families say they were informed about the incident after the attack and are now seeking urgent intervention from Indian and Omani authorities to intensify search.Amit’s uncle Ravindra Singh, a senior merchant navy officer, alleged that the captain, an Indian, ordered evacuation without ensuring a complete headcount. He claimed that even after knowing that Amit and Bir were missing, the evacuation proceeded without an attempt to locate them on board.Ravindra said he has approached the Directorate General of Shipping, seeking immediate intervention, coordination with Omani authorities, and a detailed account of the rescue operation. He further alleged that Amit, who had joined the vessel in Jan as an ordinary seaman, had not been paid for several months. He said Amit had recently messaged his sister asking her to inform him when pending salary was credited.Bir’s elder brother Mantu Yadav said the family learnt about the incident through a recruitment agent. He said Bir Bahadur had joined the vessel around five months ago on his first assignment as a trainee engine rating. Recalling their last conversation on Oct 10, Mantu said Bir Bahadur had expressed concern over attacks on ships in the area. The family was planning his marriage after his return, he said.A communication from the Indian embassy in Oman said the crew called for assistance and nearby fishing boats arrived. As per the captain’s statement shared in the communication, 10 crew members, including a Bangladeshi national, were evacuated.The rescued crew then asked fishermen to return to the vessel in case the missing sailors were nearby. The fishing boat reportedly circled the vessel twice while calling out, but received no response. The embassy communication said arrangements were being made to send a team aboard the vessel to search for traces of the missing sailors. On Wednesday, the Forward Seamen’s Union of India urged the International Maritime Organization to coordinate with Gulf countries for deployment of high-intensity search-and-rescue teams.
