Eight Indian seafarers who survived the March 1 missile attack on the oil tanker Sky Light near Oman’s Khasab port returned to Mumbai on March 18 around 1 pm, amid the ongoing Iran–Israel conflict, but now face uncertainty over documentation, compensation and their journey back home.
The crew members, from West Bengal, Haryana, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, most in their early 20s and on their first assignment at sea, said they lost all their belongings, including passports, identity documents, phones, gold items and cash, in the fire that engulfed the vessel following the attack.
“We are still wearing the same clothes we jumped into the sea with. Some of us were given an extra pair after rescue, but we have nothing else, not even basic items like a toothbrush or soap,” one of the survivors told The Indian Express on condition of anonymity.
Recalling the incident, a crew member said the attack took place around 7.05 am. “There was a sudden impact, the ship shook and there was a complete blackout. Smoke and fire spread quickly. There was no clear escape route, so we had to jump into the ocean to save ourselves,” he said.
The survivors said they wore life jackets, as many did not know how to swim and were rescued after a few minutes by an Omani army boat. Some sustained injuries and were hospitalised, while others were taken to a police station to record their statements.
The attack killed the vessel’s captain, Ashish Kumar from Bihar, while another crew member, Dalip Singh from Rajasthan, remains missing.
As reported first by The Indian Express on March 12, the eight survivors were stranded in Oman for over a week as the fire destroyed their travel documents. They stayed in a guest room at Khasab Airport and were later issued emergency outpasses before being flown back to India.
Story continues below this ad
“We left Oman on March 17. We were taken by cab to board a cargo flight to Muscat, which took around 45 minutes. From there, we were taken to the airport and flew to Mumbai,” another survivor said.
After arriving in Mumbai, the seafarers were taken by cab to an office in Navi Mumbai, where they were asked to complete formalities, including signing off on documents. However, they said they were unclear about the implications.
“Our contract is not over, so we don’t understand why we are being asked to sign off. We want clarity before we proceed,” one of them said.
They added that they were later dropped at a different location in Navi Mumbai in the evening without clarity on accommodation and spent hours looking for a place to stay. “The shipping company credited our salaries after we reached Mumbai, but since we lost our documents, we are unable to access our bank accounts and have no cash. Only one of us has access to his account and he is paying for all our expenses. The agency has said it will reimburse the amount,” a crew member said, adding that they eventually found accommodation late at night.
Story continues below this ad
More than two days after their return, the seafarers said they are eager to go home but cannot leave without completing formalities.
An official from the Directorate General of Shipping said the office will assist the seafarers in obtaining documents lost in the fire and assess compensation on a case-by-case basis. “We will speak to each of them individually to understand their losses and requirements. Our subordinate office will coordinate with them to complete the necessary formalities,” the official said, adding that the process is expected to move forward within a day or two once procedures are completed.
Sumit Singh, director of Lucknow-based SKS Krishi Marine Services (Opc) Private Limited, which helped bring back six of the eight crew members to the country, said the crew will have to report to the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) as part of the post-incident procedure. “We credited salaries for all the eight crew members on Wednesday after their arrival, including for those who died or remain missing, as their families depend on them. We had also arranged basic necessities such as clothes, shoes, accommodation and food when they were in Oman,” he said.
Explaining further, Singh said the Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC), a mandatory document for seafarers, functions like a passport and is essential for continuing in the profession. “If someone does not wish to continue sailing, they can choose not to obtain the CDC and return home. Our responsibility was to bring them safely to Mumbai. We have spent over Rs. 3 lakh on tickets alone. If they need assistance to travel home by train, we will help on humanitarian grounds,” he added.
Story continues below this ad
On claims of loss of valuables, Singh said verification remains a challenge. “It is difficult to compensate for items like gold, laptops or iPhones without proof,” he said. He added that the crew will also have to attend a hearing at the DG Shipping office to narrate the incident, though formal communication is still awaited. “We expect clarity by Friday,” he said.
An official from Sairam Ship Management Pvt Ltd, another shipping agency that sent one crew member, said the salary of its seafarer has also been credited, but the company cannot bear the cost of compensation for lost belongings.
The survivors said they now plan to leave the profession. “For most of us, this was our first job. We are the first in our families to step out of our villages and go abroad to work. We thought this would solve our financial problems, but everything has changed,” one of them said.
Another added, “What is the point of such a job, leaving our parents behind, when there is no guarantee of life or whether we will see them again? This feels like a second birth and God has given a second chance to live this life. We just want to go back to our villages, live with our families, earn less but be content.”
Story continues below this ad
The trauma of the incident continues to linger. “Every time we close our eyes, the visuals come back. We never imagined something like this would happen to us,” a crew member said. “It is a relief to be in India, but the anxiety to reach home is growing. Our families cannot come here to see us or take us back home, they have never stepped out of their villages and do not have the means. We are their only support.”