Punjab Newsline | Hamirpur
A 23-year-old merchant navy cadet from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district, Aditya Sharma, was killed in the recent US strike on the oil tanker MT Settebello, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has confirmed. Aditya was serving as a deck cadet on the vessel when it came under attack.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), 21 of the 24 Indian crew members aboard the tanker have been rescued safely, while the Indian Embassy in Oman is coordinating with local authorities to trace the missing personnel.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that two bodies have been recovered so far, while the ship’s Chief Engineer remains missing. Barsar MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal said that MP Anurag Singh Thakur is in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure that Aditya’s mortal remains are brought back to India at the earliest.
Aditya’s father, Rajesh Kumar, had earlier posted on X appealing for help in locating his son, stating that Aditya was among the missing crew members. He also alleged that his son had complained of harassment by a senior officer onboard and had wanted to leave the ship in April, claiming the family possesses records of those conversations.
The only child of his parents, Aditya had joined the Merchant Navy on November 24, 2025, and was undergoing a 15-month training period. His father runs a business in Jalandhar, Punjab. Family members said Aditya was initially on a six-month contract and was expected to return on May 24, but his stay was extended by two months after he decided to complete half of his training before coming home.
According to his uncle Sanjeev Lakhanpal, the shipping company informed the family about the attack on Tuesday evening.
The incident is part of a series of attacks on Indian-crewed oil tankers over the past three days. The first attack took place on June 8 on MT Maryvex, carrying 28 sailors, including 24 Indians, all of whom were rescued safely by the Indian Coast Guard and Omani agencies.
Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed deep grief on Wednesday over the death of Aditya Sharma, a seafarer serving on an oil tanker, during a US attack in the Strait of Hormuz. Aditya Sharma was a resident of the Galore area in Hamirpur district. Conveying his deepest condolences to the bereaved family, the Chief Minister stated that the state government stands firmly with the family during this hour of grief.
