The family of Deepak Gupta, a 22-year-old crew member who went missing after an attack on their merchant vessel near Ukraine’s Odesa port, has expressed frustration over the lack of response from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Indian embassies. Between July 26 and July 30, the family reached out to these authorities but received no assurances or replies regarding the situation.
During court proceedings, Mehta informed Justice Bagchi that the MEA and the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) had submitted an action report, indicating that despite their best efforts, the two missing seafarers remain untraceable. The judge noted that the employment contracts of the seamen included provisions for insurance, suggesting that the government could assist in facilitating claims for the families.
The family’s counsel criticized the absence of search and rescue operations, pointing out that the embassy’s updates were outdated as of July 26. Mehta countered that continuing search efforts at sea was impractical, although he confirmed that the authorities were in ongoing communication with relevant stakeholders.
On August 3, the Supreme Court directed the MEA to utilize diplomatic channels to locate the missing seafarers and instructed Mehta to consult the Indian embassies in Ukraine and Romania regarding Gupta’s whereabouts. Deepak Gupta’s family, originally from Siwan district in Bihar, has been residing in Bharataul village in Bareilly for several years.
