The Supreme Court has instructed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to utilize diplomatic channels to locate Deepak Kumar Gupta, an Indian seafarer who went missing following a drone attack on the MV AGN Ragnar in the Black Sea near Ukraine. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing a petition regarding Gupta’s disappearance, amidst conflicting reports about the fate of the crew members.
During the proceedings, Chief Justice Kant highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting discrepancies in reports that suggested all four Indian seafarers either drowned or that two were still alive. The attack occurred on July 25, involving a total of nine crew members, four of whom were Indian nationals. The Indian Embassy in Ukraine reported that two of the Indians were safe, while information about the other two remained pending as search operations were ongoing.
Counsel for the petitioner stated that the Romanian Coast Guard had rescued two of the crew members, while the remaining two jumped overboard to escape the flames. The Court directed the MEA to urgently gather information from Indian embassies in Romania and Ukraine regarding Gupta’s whereabouts. Additionally, concerns about potential human trafficking were raised, prompting a request for clarity on the situation from the Indian government. The case is scheduled for further hearing on Friday.
