Family of Himachal seafarer killed in US strike near Hormuz alleges exploitation on board
Aditya’s father, Rajesh Sharma, in a post on X, alleges that his son was subjected to exploitation by senior crew members
Following the death of Hamirpur native Aditya Sharma in the attack on the MT Settebello in the Strait of Hormuz, his family has raised serious allegations against the ship’s command and working conditions on board. They have demanded a high-level inquiry into the circumstances leading up to the June 9 incident.
Aditya’s father, Rajesh Sharma, in a post on X, alleged that his son was subjected to exploitation by senior crew members. He further claimed that Aditya had attempted to resign in April but was allegedly coerced into withdrawing his complaint. After that, he was reportedly forced into what he describes as a “hell-like environment”, working nearly 20-hour shifts daily.
Vessel Settebello
IMO 9162916
I am father of one of the three crew missing. Aditya Sharma is my son.
Please help to locate and find him.
Below shipping company message to me.
My son has reported exploitation by senior at ship and want to quit this ship in April.
We…
— Rajesh Sharma (@bobbylakhanpal) June 10, 2026
The family has also questioned decisions taken by the vessel’s leadership. In an interview with CNN-News18, Rajesh Sharma said the ship’s captain proceeded into the high-risk Gulf region despite reports of an earlier attack on another vessel in the area.
He further alleged that the crew deliberately disabled the Automatic Identification System (AIS) to avoid tracking, raising questions about the ship’s operational protocols.
Aditya was among the three crew members who were killed after the US military struck Palau-flagged MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, accusing it of violating an American blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran.
There were 24 Indian crewmen on board the vessel, of whom 21 were rescued.
Aditya, a deck cadet on probation, was the only son of his parents.
Ashok, grandfather of the deceased, said, "We want to know that when the captain was warned against moving ahead, in which capacity did he take the ship forward. We demand an inquiry." Adiya's uncle Sanjiv said they spent several anxious trying to ascertain his whereabouts after receiving information that he was missing.
"I received a call from my brother around 9 pm on Wednesday that Aditya is missing. I immediately rushed to my brother's place in Jalandhar (Punjab). For the whole night, we tried to coordinate with the company for Aditya's whereabouts. It was only around 1.30 am that we came to know that he was no more," Sanjiv said.
Aditya was planning to visit home in May, but decided to extend his stay at the vessel for a month, he added.
"We are trying to get the body of our boy so that we can perform the last rites," Sanjay said, adding that they have requested Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and the central government for early repatriation of the body.
"We also want to know what Aditya was doing near the engine at night when the attack took place, and whether any attempts were made to rescue him or not", Sanjay said.
Expressing grief over Sharma's death, Anurag Thakur said he has requested the Foreign Minister Jaishankar to engage the Indian Embassy in Oman to talk to the country's authorities and the company so that his body can be brought to India as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued here on Thursday, Chief Minister Sukhu expressed his condolences and said that the state government stands firmly with the bereaved family members in this hour of distress.
He also directed the district administration to provide all possible help to the family. with PTI inputs
