Slain seafarer's wife demands answers from PMO, govt on benefits

The wife of Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh, one of three Indians killed in a US military strike on a ship off Oman, has demanded a response from the State, Central, and US governments on compensation and benefits for the families of the deceased.

The wife of Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh Bhargavi on Friday demanded a response from the State and Central government and sought clarity on compensation and benefits for the families of the deceased crew members. Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh was one of the three Indian seafarers killed in a military strike on the commercial vessel MT Settebello off the coast of Oman. Suresh's wife's remarks came after the family received the mortal remains of Patnala Suresh, which were brought to Visakhapatnam earlier in the day.

Wife Demands Answers and Compensation

Speaking to reporters, Bhargavi said, "State and Central Government, and I'm including the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) office also. Three people died unnecessarily because of someone's issue, which may be between America and the US. Wherever it is, why should the Indian crew die? "And so far, no one has responded properly to this. I'm just directly asking the PMO office: What is going on? What do they want to provide for all three seafarers? Not only I, but also my husband and all three seafarers. I'm talking about all three seafarers. I just want to know what benefits they are going to give to all three seafarers from the State and Central, and also, I'm raising the question to the US government also," she added.

Appealing for immediate assistance, she further said, "Please, kindly do what they can do as soon as possible. There are rumours that they have announced this much, this much, this much, but nothing; we didn't hear anything personally up till now. We didn't receive anything personally until now. Even the luggage, I didn't get. I just bought the person. I went to Hyderabad myself and brought him."

Concerns Over Shipping Company Communication

Raising concerns over communication from the shipping company, Bhargavi added, "Even the luggage, I didn't get. They said that they will send it home directly. I also demand the luggage, as well as the benefits which I should get from the company as well. The company people also, officially, didn't speak to me; they didn't speak to me until now. They said we will do our favour,' but they haven't announced anything so far."

India Lodges Protest with US

The vessel, MT Settebello, came under fire on June 10 after US forces accused it of violating the ongoing naval blockade on Iranian ports. Of the 24 Indian crew members on board, 21 were rescued by Omani authorities, while three were later confirmed dead.

On June 12, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said he conveyed India's strong protest to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the attacks that killed three Indian mariners. The Ministry of External Affairs had also lodged a protest with the US Charge d'Affaires regarding the attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman.

Later, the US Department of State, in a statement, said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in his telephonic conversation with Jaishankar, stressed that all commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz must adhere to orders by the US.

PM Modi Raises Seafarer Safety at G7 Summit

Meanwhile, at the G7 Summit, which took place in Evian, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over the impact of disruptions in maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz on the global economy during the conflict in West Asia and noted how Indian civilians lost their lives. Crucially, the Prime Minister advocated for the protection of commercial crew members operating in volatile maritime zones, raising concerns about the safety of Indian seafarers amid tensions in the Gulf region.

Asserting that the welfare of Indian sailors remains a priority for India, the Prime Minister stated, "I believe the safety of Indian seafarers is critical." He added that he was confident the security of seafarers would receive priority under the emerging peace understanding in the region. (ANI)

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