Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas seeks urgent action to protect Indian seafarers in conflict-hit waters
The MP called for a single, clearly identifiable 24x7 distress contact mechanism for Indian seafarers and their families
Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas has urged the Centre to strengthen diplomatic and consular mechanisms to protect Indian seafarers working in conflict-affected and high-risk maritime regions, including the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and the Black Sea.
In a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, he also sought urgent intervention in the case of Shinton Benny, a young deck officer trainee from Kochi who has reportedly been missing since August 12 while serving aboard the Japan-flagged vessel Victorious Ace.
The Left MP urged the Ministry of External Affairs to take all necessary diplomatic and consular measures, in coordination with the concerned authorities, to trace Benny and establish his safety and whereabouts at the earliest.
Citing the government’s response to his Rajya Sabha question, he said 16 Indian nationals, including 10 seafarers, have lost their lives, and 75 Indians have been injured since the outbreak of the West Asia conflict in the Middle East this year.
According to the figures cited by him, eight of the reported deaths occurred in Oman, four in the UAE, two in Kuwait, and one each in Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
The MP called for a single, clearly identifiable 24x7 distress contact mechanism for Indian seafarers and their families. He also sought stronger coordination by Indian Missions abroad to ensure a swift response in cases involving disappearance, abandonment, injury, death, evacuation and repatriation.
Brittas further urged the government to facilitate the recovery of death and injury compensation, pending wages and other legitimate contractual dues from overseas ship owners, employers and insurers.
He highlighted the difficulties that can arise from cross-border jurisdictions, sanctions and disputed Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance arrangements.
Expressing concern over the pace of relief to families, Brittas pointed out that compensation has so far been disbursed in only 5 of the 16 reported death cases, leaving several bereaved families awaiting financial relief.
The MP also stressed the need for a stronger institutional response to ensure that Indian seafarers working in increasingly volatile maritime zones are provided timely assistance and that their families have a reliable mechanism to seek help during emergencies.
