A 43-year-old Indian Merchant Navy captain from Ranchi has died on board an oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz. His family is appealing to authorities for urgent assistance in bringing his body back to India.
Captain Rakesh Ranjan reportedly passed away on 18 March after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest while serving aboard the vessel ASP Avana (RPSL-MUM-172), which he had joined on 2 February.
His family said the ship had been stranded approximately 14 nautical miles off the Strait of Hormuz since 28 February, following a halt in regional maritime movement due to the ongoing West Asia conflict.
According to his elder brother, Umesh Singh, the shipping company informed the family that Ranjan had lost consciousness and collapsed from his chair on board.
Efforts were reportedly made to provide medical assistance, but permission for an emergency airlift was not granted. He was later transferred by boat to Port Rashid in Dubai, where he was declared dead.
The family has claimed that delays in medical evacuation may have contributed to his death, stating that several crucial hours were lost before he could receive treatment.
However, they are awaiting the post-mortem examination report to confirm the exact cause of death.
Ranjan’s body is currently being kept under police custody at a mortuary in Dubai, with reports indicating it is at Sheikh Rashid Hospital.
The repatriation process has reportedly begun but is facing delays, partly…
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