Nishanth Uirthanathan, a 35-year-old Indian second officer, died last Thursday from medical complications while serving aboard the tanker MT Celestial at Duqm Port, Oman.
Crew members and unions allege that the vessel’s owner denied the sailor timely medical evacuation over a minor administrative fee, and later failed to provide refrigeration for his remains. To prevent decomposition, the crew resorted to surrounding the body with cold water bottles for over two days while waiting for official assistance. The incident has sparked a political firestorm in India because the MT Celestial is reportedly under U.S. sanctions, which complicated rescue and legal repatriation efforts.
The Indian Embassy is currently coordinating with Omani authorities to return the body to Tamil Nadu as calls for a formal maritime inquiry grow.
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