Babu assures support to family of sailor killed in missile strike

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday expressed grief over the death of chief engineer Patnaala Suresh from Visakhapatnam in a missile strike on a commercial vessel off the Oman coast and directed officials to extend all possible assistance to his family.

Suresh was among three Indian crew members killed in the attack on an oil tanker off the Oman coast. Officials said the vessel is currently stranded about 30 nautical miles offshore and Omani authorities have initiated measures to bring it to port.

"The state government will stand by the family and provide all necessary assistance," Naidu said in an official release.

As per the chief minister's directions, Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi is closely monitoring the situation and is in constant touch with the Centre, the Oman government and the Indian Embassy to expedite the repatriation process.

Bhargavi, Suresh's wife, said she had received a call from the Indian Embassy in Oman informing her that officials were continuously following up on the matter and would keep the family updated as developments emerged.

While welcoming the efforts being made by authorities, she noted that the process involved several international procedures and could not be completed immediately.

According to her, multiple formalities involving various agencies and governments have to be completed before her husband's body can be brought back to India.

She said she had been informed that a tugboat was being sent to retrieve the body from the damaged vessel, which was anchored about 100 kilometres offshore.

As the vessel was not in a condition to sail, the retrieval operation was expected to take more than 18 hours, and the body could be brought ashore by Saturday evening, she said.

Referring to the Andhra Pradesh government's intervention, Bhargavi said that authorities at different levels were actively pursuing the matter and making efforts to expedite the process.

"We are grateful to the chief minister and other officials for closely monitoring the situation and extending support to our family. Officials are regularly updating us and coordinating with the concerned authorities, which gives us confidence during this difficult period," Bhargavi told PTI on Friday.

Naidu assured the bereaved family that the government would remain engaged with all concerned authorities and extend all support until the repatriation process is completed.