Amaravati, June 12 (IANS) Former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday expressed anguish over the death of Suresh Patnala, a marine engineer from Visakhapatnam, in an attack on a ship carrying Indians off the coast of Oman.

Chief Engineer Suresh was one of the three India seafarers killed in the US attack on the vessel on Wednesday.

The Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Settebello was attacked off the coast of Oman, near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

All three Indian sailors who were initially reported missing following the incident have been confirmed dead.

Deck cadet Aditya Sharma (Himachal Pradesh) and engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya (Uttar Pradesh) are the other two Indians killed in the attack, which was carried out by the US military after the vessel allegedly attempted to violate a blockade imposed by the US.

The tragedy has left Suresh’s family here in deep shock. He is survived by his wife and two sons, aged 13 and 10.

According to a release by YSR Congress Party, Jagan Mohan Reddy stated that the loss of three Indian lives in this incident is distressing, and the fact that Suresh Patnala from Andhra Pradesh was among the victims is deeply saddening. He remarked that the untimely death of a marine engineer is truly unfortunate and noted that the anguish faced by Suresh’s family is beyond words.

YS Jagan conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the family members of the deceased, Suresh Patnala. He prayed that God grants them the strength to bear this immense tragedy and expressed his hope that Suresh Patnala’s soul rests in peace.

Meanwhile, former MP V. Vijayasai Reddy also reacted to the incident through a social media post on Friday. “Unfortunate that 3 Indian seafarers have lost their lives in a conflict that was never ours. With over 3 lakh Indians employed in the global maritime industry, ensuring their safety is of utmost importance,” he said.

He urged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to reach out to the countries at war and ensure safeguards for the Indian crew members operating in high-risk regions.

–IANS

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