An Indian marine engineer from Mumbai was killed after an oil tanker came under attack near Iraq’s Basra region amid escalating tensions in West Asia. The victim, Deo Nandan Prasad Singh (56), was serving as an additional chief engineer on the tanker MT Safesea Vishnu when the incident occurred close to Khor Al Zubair Port. Reports said the vessel was operating near the port when it was struck on Wednesday, leaving Singh critically injured. He later succumbed to his injuries following the attack.

Singh, originally from Bihar, had been living in Mumbai since 2019 with his family in Kandivali East. He is survived by his wife, Kumkum Singh; daughter, Komal Singh; and a son who is currently pursuing a management course in the United States. The family said they first learned about the incident through media reports and later received confirmation from the shipping company about his death. The tragedy has left relatives demanding answers and calling for stronger protection for Indian seafarers working in conflict-prone regions.

Speaking about her final conversation with her father, Komal Singh, a third-year medical student in Nagpur, recalled that the family had spoken with him on the evening of March 11, when he reassured them that everything was fine. However, in the early hours of the morning, he called again to say the ship was on fire. After that call, the family repeatedly tried to contact him but received no response. When they later reached out to the company, they were told that the crew had been rescued but Singh could not be revived after inhaling large amounts of seawater.

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The family have alleged that they did not receive timely official communication regarding the incident and have demanded that Singh’s mortal remains be brought back to India. They have also called for compensation and an international investigation into the attack on the vessel. Authorities and maritime agencies have since been informed, and enquiries are underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the strike on the tanker near Basra as concerns grow over the safety of commercial shipping and seafarers in the conflict-hit region.

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