DGMA Seeks Information on 30 Unresolved Seafarer Death and Missing Cases
India’s Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) has issued a public notice from its Crew Branch in Kanjurmarg, Mumbai, asking for information on 30 pending cases of Indian seafarers who died, went missing or were seriously injured while serving on ships abroad. The notice, published on 11 November, covers incidents from 2013 to 2024 in the waters or ports of the UAE, Iran, Iraq, Malaysia, Russia, Nigeria, Italy, Greece, Vietnam, China and other countries.
The notice is addressed to next of kin, recruitment and placement service (RPS) agencies, P&I clubs, insurers and the public. They are asked to check the case list attached to the notice and send any investigation or inquiry reports, insurance or P&I claim details, proof of compensation or benefits paid to families, and the status of pending claims. Each submission should quote the serial number of the case and reach DGMA within 30 days.
DGMA says many of the RPS agencies linked to these cases have since been suspended, lost their licences or closed down, which has made records hard to trace. In several cases, compensation is still unpaid or a Presumption of Death Certificate has not been issued. The list includes the 2019 fire and explosion on the LPG carriers Maestro and Candy in the Kerch Strait, where six Indians died and six went missing, and several vessels lost in Iranian waters.
From the CrewMirror Blog
DGMA has made clear that a case appearing on the list does not mean any finding of liability. Cases already decided under the Merchant Shipping Act are excluded. Information can be emailed to crews-dgs@nic.in, and the e-Navik helpline (1800-889-7768) is available round the clock.
The move gives families who have waited for years a fresh chance to see these cases closed and their claims settled.
CrewMirror Takeaway
Families and former shipmates holding papers on any listed case can help close long-pending claims by sharing them with DGMA before the deadline. Seafarers would also do well to leave copies of their contract, RPS agency details and insurance papers with their families before joining any ship.
For more details, please follow this link on the official DGMA website.
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