India Confirms 14 Seafarer Deaths Amid West Asia Conflict
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that 22 Indian nationals have died in the ongoing West Asia conflict, and that 14 of them were seafarers. The figure was shared by MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal at the ministry’s regular media briefing in New Delhi on 28 October. West Asia is the term India uses for the Middle East, including the Gulf states, Iran, Iraq and Yemen, where many Indian seafarers serve on ships.
Jaiswal said the government was “deeply concerned about the situation” in the region. He added that Indian embassies and consulates across the Gulf are in close touch with Indian workers and community groups, and are watching developments in the busy sea lanes where many Indian crew members serve. Three of the 22 deaths were reported in Saudi Arabia.
The number shows how heavily the conflict has fallen on Indian crews. Indian seafarers make up a large share of officers and ratings on tankers and other ships trading in and out of the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. October has been one of the most dangerous months for shipping in the region, with repeated attacks on merchant ships.
The Consulate General of India in Jeddah has also issued travel guidance for Indian nationals affected by flight disruptions, and its 24×7 control rooms in Jeddah and Makkah remain open for help.
Seafarer unions in India have been urging the government and the IMO to do more to protect crews on ships in high-risk waters, including vessels with doubtful registrations and insurance.
Seafarers joining ships bound for the Gulf should check the vessel’s flag, P&I cover and warlike-area terms, and register their details with the nearest Indian mission.
