The Indian embassy is working to repatriate the body of a sailor who died on board a ship in Oman

According to government data, India has more than 300,000 seafarers working across global shipping fleets. Representative file image. | Photo credit: Reuters

The Indian Embassy in Muscat on Sunday (Jun 14, 2026) said it was working to facilitate the speedy repatriation of the body of an Indian national who died due to medical complications on board a vessel in Omani waters.

In a post on social media, the mission said it remains in close contact with family members of Nishanth Uirthanathan, crew members of the MT Celestial and the authorities concerned.

The Embassy remains in close contact with the family members of Mr Nishanth Uirthanathan, an Indian national who unfortunately lost his life due to medical complications, the vessel’s crew and the authorities concerned. Efforts are underway for the fastest possible…

— India in Oman (Embassy of India, Muscat) (@Indemb_Muscat) June 14, 2026

However, he did not give details of the medical conditions that led to Uirthanathan’s death.

“The Embassy remains in active coordination with local Omani authorities, port officials and the shipping company regarding Mr. Nishanth Uirthanathan, who unfortunately died aboard MT Celestial due to medical complications,” the mission said in a post on X.

She further said that the vessel is expected to dock soon at the port of Duqm, located on the country’s southeastern coast in the Persian Gulf.

“Necessary arrangements have been made to quickly recover the mortal remains from the vessel,” it said.

“The mission is in touch with the family and is arranging all formalities for the expeditious repatriation of the remains to India,” it added.

On Saturday (June 13, 2026), the mission confirmed that Uirthanathan had died of medical complications.

The embassy expressed its condolences to the bereaved family and said it was in continuous contact with the ship’s management company.

According to the Union of Leading Seamen of India, Uirthanathan died on June 11 “after falling seriously ill”. The Union called on the authorities in India and Oman to act immediately.

On Saturday (June 13, 2026), they released a video clip of a visibly ill Uirthanathan being offered food by his crewmate.

Details of the video could not be independently verified.

The MT Celestial happens to be the same vessel that was stopped last month by US marines for a search exercise on suspicion of violating the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, and later released after ordering its crew to change course.

On May 20, US Central Command issued a statement: “Earlier today in the Gulf of Oman, US sailors from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Force boarded the MT Celestial Sea, an Iranian-flagged commercial oil tanker suspected of attempting to breach the US blockade by passage to an Iranian port. US forces released the ship after a search and orientation.”

Published – 14 Jun 2026 14:13 IST