Indian missing after attack on ship off Oman coast is dead, family says

The Cyprus-flagged container ship was attacked off the coast of Oman on Sunday. Iran said it struck the ship after it attempted to transit through an unauthorised route despite warnings

  • PUBLISHED: Wed 15 Jul 2026, 11:41 AM

[Editor's Note: For the latest updates on how US-Iran hostilities have escalated since a 14-point deal was signed on June 12, follow the Khaleej Times live blog.]

An Indian national who went missing after an attack on commercial vessel GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman is dead, his father-in-law said on Wednesday.

Heramb Karmarkar, 30, was a marine engineer on the Cyprus-flagged container ship that was attacked off the coast of Oman on Sunday.

The vessel, with 11 Indians in its 24-member crew, was struck by an "unidentified projectile", Cyprus authorities had said.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

Iran said it had struck the ship after it attempted to transit through an unauthorised route despite warnings to correct its course.

Karmarkar's father-in-law, Vivek Tandon, told Reuters that the company operating the vessel had informed him of his son-in-law's death.

India's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Karmarkar is the second Indian seafarer to be killed in the region in three days.

Another Indian seafarer was killed on Tuesday after two vessels were attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

New Delhi lodged a strong protest with Iran after summoning its deputy ambassador over Tuesday's killing.

Tehran says it has again closed the Strait of Hormuz after hostilities with Washington reignited last week, but U.S. President Donald Trump says the waterway is open to all shipping traffic except that of Iran.