The Directorate General of Maritime Affairs (DGMA) in India has announced a ban on ship owners and companies from hiring Indian nationals as crew members for voyages through the Strait of Hormuz, effective immediately and pending further updates.
This decision follows the recent news of a second Indian crew member’s death resulting from an Iranian terrorist attack in the Strait of Hormuz within just three days.
The first casualty was confirmed to be an Indian national who was aboard a large crude oil carrier, the Mombasa B, during an Iranian missile strike earlier this week.
Both the Mombasa B and another supertanker, the Al Baya, are managed by ADNOC, a state-owned energy company from the United Arab Emirates. At the time of the attack, they were navigating Oman’s waters and suffered considerable damage. Alongside the fatality, six Indian crew members sustained injuries.
The second victim was identified as Helam Karmalkar, a 30-year-old marine engineer working on the Cyprus-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy. This vessel, again in Omani waters, was hit by an “unidentified projectile” this past Sunday.
The Galaxy had 24 crew members, including 11 Indians. Initially reported missing, Karmalkar was later confirmed dead, with his father-in-law, Vivek Tandon, receiving the news from the shipping company.
“He was young, just 30. Our plea to the Indian government is to ensure his body is returned to us intact,” Tandon conveyed.
Tandon mentioned Karmalkar had graduated from Glasgow City University and was nearing the end of his five-month contract aboard the Galaxy. Karmalkar is survived by his wife, mother, and sister.
In a last communication before the attack, Karmalkar had messaged his family that they had “crossed the Gulf safely.”
The Indian Consulate in Dubai confirmed that on Thursday, Oman’s coast guard recovered Karmalkar’s body roughly 60 hours after he was reported missing.
The consulate stated, “We are in touch with the grieving families and are coordinating with UAE authorities and the shipping company to provide necessary support.”
Tandon indicated that Karmalkar’s remains are currently held by the Omani Navy.
“He has been at sea for five months and was expected to finish his term soon,” Tandon added.
The DGMA remarked, “Given the escalated security risks in the Persian Gulf region, it’s imperative to implement enhanced safety measures for Indian crew members operating in these waters.”
Majhoj Yadav, the general secretary of the Indian Frontline Seafarers Union, criticized the order, pointing out that many Indian seafarers remain exposed to Iranian threats in nearby waters.
“Preventing new crew entries is one thing, but what about the thousands still in these dangerous situations? What’s the government’s plan to get them out?” he questioned.
India lodged a diplomatic protest with Iran following the attacks on Indian crewed vessels. The country has also activated the Information Fusion Center-Indian Ocean Region for operational support in rescue efforts. So far, New Delhi hasn’t committed to military action to safeguard its nationals from threats in the Strait of Hormuz.
