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Recalling a harrowing brush with death in the middle of the sea, Bikram Ghosh, a chief cook and one of the eight Indian survivors of the oil tanker MT Skylight attack, described the moments when a missile or drone struck their vessel earlier this month near the Strait of Hormuz amid the West Asia conflict.
The Palau-flagged oil tanker 'Skylight' was targeted in waters off the Musandam Governorate in Oman near the Strait on March 1 when the vessel was struck approximately five nautical miles north of Khasab Port. Speaking after returning safely to Mumbai, Ghosh said the attack occurred in the early hours of the day, catching the crew completely off guard. "On 1st March, around 7 am, our ship came under a drone or missile attack. We saw plumes of smoke when we rushed outside. The situation was very bad," he recounted. The tanker, carrying a mixed crew of Indians and Iranians, quickly descended into chaos as flames and panic spread across the vessel. According to Ghosh, survival instincts took over as crew members scrambled to find safety amid the unfolding disaster. "We tried to reach the safe zone. At that time, out of the 10 Indians who were on board the oil tanker, we found out that two Indians were missing," he said. With the situation deteriorating rapidly, the crew made the desperate decision to abandon ship. "We managed to put on life jackets and jumped into the water," Ghosh said, describing the perilous escape into open waters and added that rescue came in time as naval forces intervened. "The Omani Navy boat then rescued us. The injured were shifted to the hospital," he stated. In the chaos of the attack, survivors also lost their belongings and essential documents, further complicating their return journey. Ghosh himself was brought back to India on an emergency passport after necessary arrangements were made. "We were then brought to Mumbai. We request the Indian government to ensure that other Indian seafarers don't face the kind of situation we faced and are brought to India safely," he added. Echoing his concerns, Ghosh urged authorities to intensify efforts to rescue Indian nationals still stranded on foreign vessels in conflict-hit regions. Earlier, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a briefing on March 12, confirmed that the merchant vessel Skylight was among the ships targeted during the conflict. He stated that one Indian national had lost his life in the attack, while another remains missing. Jaiswal added that the eight surviving Indian crew members had completed necessary formalities and were being assisted by the Indian mission in Muscat for their return. "This particular merchant vessel, Skylight, came under attack, where we lost one Indian National, and one continues to be missing. There, the eight members who were on board, their travel documents and the necessary formalities have been completed. The embassy in Muscat is in touch with the company so that other requirements can be fulfilled and they can come back home," he stated. For Ghosh and others who survived, the return marks the end of a traumatic chapter--but also a stark reminder of the dangers faced by seafarers navigating volatile waters. The development comes amid the escalating tensions and conflict that began on February 28 with the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israel, and US assets in several Gulf countries, causing disruption in the waterways and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability. Due to the conflict in the region, Iran has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for global energy supply. (ANI)
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