Body of Vizag Sailor Patnala Suresh Yet to Be Repatriated as 2 Fellow MT Settebello Crew Members Return Home

The bodies of two Indian seafarers killed in last week's US strike on the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello off the Oman coast were repatriated to India on Wednesday, while the mortal remains of Visakhapatnam chief engineer Patnala Suresh , the third Indian victim, are yet to be brought home.

In a statement posted on X, the Indian Embassy in Muscat said the remains of Aditya Sharma and Shivanand Chaurasiya had been repatriated to India. The mission expressed condolences to the bereaved families but did not provide any information regarding Suresh's repatriation, leaving unanswered questions over the delay.

Suresh, 44, hailed from Sriharipuram in Visakhapatnam and served as the vessel's chief engineer. According to family members, he had completed nearly five months at sea and was preparing to return home after receiving his relieving letter. He was expected to reunite with his wife Bhargavi and their two sons and celebrate his wedding anniversary on June 24. His family has since appealed for the early return of his remains.

The MT Settebello, carrying 24 Indian crew members , came under attack off the Oman coast on June 10. Three Indians were killed, while the remaining 21 rescued Indian seafarers were safely brought back to India on Tuesday. The vessel was one of three merchant ships with Indian crew that came under attack amid escalating tensions in the region.

The incident has triggered a diplomatic protest from New Delhi. India summoned US Chargé d'Affaires Jason Meeks twice within a week and conveyed its concerns over the deaths of Indian nationals.

Addressing an outreach session of the G7 Summit , Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that maritime routes must remain secure and that seafarers should be able to carry out their duties without fear. The issue was raised ahead of his bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump.

The tragedy has also prompted India's Directorate General of Shipping to advise recruitment agencies to restrict the deployment of Indian seafarers to conflict zones until further orders, reflecting growing concerns over maritime safety in volatile waters.