US-Iran war: Three families, three states, one tragic call – meet the Indian sailors who never came home
The sailors UP, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh were among the 24 Indians on board the tanker when it came under US attack on June 10. While 21 crew members were rescued, the trio never made it back.
by Zee Media Bureau · Zee NewsUS-Iran War: Three families in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh had spent two days hoping for good news. They kept making phone calls, waiting for updates and holding on to the hope as rescue teams searched for their loved ones who had gone missing from Setebello after US forces struck the Indian oil tanker near the Oman coast.
But their hope shattered on Thursday (June 11) when Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed that the bodies of three crew members had been recovered. The sailors – Shivanand Chaurasia from Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh, Aditya Sharma from Hamirpur district in Himachal Pradesh and Patnala Suresh from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh – were among the 24 Indians on board the tanker when it came under attack on June 10. While 21 crew members were rescued, the three sailors never made it back.
Shivanand was serving as an engine fitter, Aditya as a deck cadet and Suresh as the vessel’s chief engineer.
He said everything was fine. Two days later, he was gone
Thirty-five-year-old Shivananand belonged to Deoria’s Surauli Pekoli village. According to family members, he had travelled to Mumbai around eight months ago and was working with a foreign shipping company.
His father, Ramji Chaurasia, said the family had spoken to him shortly before the tragedy. “We last talked to him on Tuesday (June 9) night. He told us everything was fine. Now we have been told that he is no more,” he told ANI, with his voice choking and tears rolling down his face.
Shivanand's brother-in-law Sanjay Chaurasia told BBC Hindi that the family learned only recently that he had gone missing after the attack.
The news has shaken the village. Neighbours and relatives have gathered outside the family's home since the confirmation of his death.
The villagers said they came to know that a missile attack had taken place on a ship in the Gulf of Oman and Shivananand became a casualty. The family was already struggling financially, and he was the one supporting everyone. Now he is gone too.
Shivanand is survived by his wife and two children.
‘Why the three sailors couldn’t be saved’
Among the victims was 23-year-old Aditya from Hareda village in the Galod area of Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district. His death was also confirmed by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who said Aditya belonged to Nadoun's Galod region.
The deceased father Rajesh Sharma has demanded answers about what happened in the final moments before the attack.
"My demand is that my son's body should be brought home. We should also be told what happened in his final moments. I want to know whether help was provided to them or not. The others were rescued, so why could these three not be saved?" he asked.
He said the family had initially been informed that the ship would travel only up to Oman before returning. "We later learned that it was trying to move towards Iran. That came as a shock to us," he said.
He also questioned the route taken by the vessel. "The captain should not have taken this route. There should be an investigation into why the ship was taken into a war zone and under what circumstances that decision was made," said the furious yet aggrieved father.
‘I received a message about a drone strike’
Bhargavi, wife of the third victim, Suresh, told PTI that she first learned about the incident through a message and phone call. “Last night, I received a call and a message. The message read, 'Sorry for the inconvenience. The ship on which your husband was working has come under a drone attack and three Indian crew members are missing'," she said.
She said her husband's name was mentioned first, followed by the names of the other missing crew members. She immediately began seeking information and was given contact details for the company's Dubai office.
"When I contacted them, they told me that a rescue operation was underway. They said 21 crew members had been rescued and three were missing," she said.
Around 1 pm the next day, she received confirmation that her husband's body had been found. "They could not officially confirm his death until the body was found. They continued the search operation until then and did not stop looking for them," said Bhargavi.
She appealed to authorities to ensure that the process of bringing his body home is completed fast.
Why did the US target Setebello?
According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the Palau-flagged oil tanker was “carrying Iranian oil” and had “violated” the blockade, which has been enforced by the United States.
It alleged the vessel ignored repeated warnings issued by American forces. In a statement posted on X, the US military said, "Despite repeated warnings from US forces, the crew failed to comply."
It added that an American aircraft later used precision-guided munitions to target the vessel's engine.
The US military has also released video footage of the attack.
India registers strong protest
The deaths of the three Indian sailors prompted a strong response from New Delhi. India summoned Jason Meeks, the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in New Delhi, to convey its protest. He was called in because US Ambassador Sergio Gor was on an official visit to Kazakhstan.
The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack and called for an immediate reduction in tensions. "We once again call for immediate de-escalation and for ongoing negotiations to reach a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region," it said.
The ministry also stated commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure should not be targeted.
"Uninterrupted navigation and trade through maritime routes in the region must be restored at the earliest in accordance with international law," it added.
No casualty in earlier attack
The Setebello strike was not the first incident involving Indian sailors in the region this week. On June 8, another vessel carrying 24 Indian crew members came under attack in Gulf waters.
The incident was first reported by the Forward Seamen's Union of India, which appealed for the safety of the crew and support for their families.
The Indian Embassy in Oman later confirmed the incident and said it was coordinating with Omani authorities. All 24 sailors from that vessel were eventually rescued safely.
At the time, the embassy thanked Omani authorities for their assistance and support during the rescue operation.
The outcome of that rescue had offered reassurance to many seafarers and their families. But the families of Shivananand, Aditya and Suresh were, perhaps, not fortunate enough.