The family of 30-year-old Heramb Karmarkar has confirmed his passing following an attack on the Cyprus-flagged container ship, GFS Galaxy, off the coast of Oman. Karmarkar, a marine engineer, was among the 24 crew members—including 11 Indian nationals—aboard the vessel when it was struck by an unidentified projectile this past Sunday. According to his father-in-law, Vivek Tandon, the operating company reached out to the family to deliver the devastating news that the young engineer did not survive the incident.

This fatality marks the second time in just three days that an Indian seafarer has lost their life in the region due to escalating maritime hostilities. Iran has claimed responsibility for the strike, alleging that the vessel failed to adhere to warnings regarding its transit route. As tensions continue to mount near the Strait of Hormuz, New Delhi has already voiced a firm protest with Tehran, underscoring the growing danger faced by merchant mariners navigating these increasingly volatile waters.