Deoria

A wave of grief swept through Surauli village in Uttar Pradesh's Deoria district after a local resident was confirmed among three Indian crew members who lost their lives in an attack on a merchant vessel near the coast of Oman.

The deceased, identified as Shivanand Chaurasia (35), was employed as an engine fitter aboard the tanker and had been working with an overseas shipping company.

According to official sources, the vessel came under attack on June 10. Of the 24 Indian crew members on board, 21 were rescued, while three initially went missing. Their bodies were recovered on Thursday.

The tragic news devastated Chaurasia's family and villagers, who described him as the primary breadwinner of the household. His father, Ramji Chaurasia, said the family had spoken to him only a day before the incident.

"We talked to him the night before yesterday. He told us that everything was fine. Today, we received the heartbreaking news of his death," he said.

Family members said they first learned about the incident through Shivanand's brother, who is employed in Dubai.

Shivanand had reportedly moved to Mumbai around eight months ago before joining the foreign shipping firm. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

Local police officials visited the family's home and gathered information related to the incident.

Meanwhile, India on Thursday confirmed that three merchant vessels carrying Indian crew members had come under attack by the US military off the coast of Oman during the past four days. The attacks resulted in the deaths of three Indian nationals. New Delhi has strongly raised the issue with Washington.

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The development marks the first public acknowledgement that US naval forces targeted ships carrying Indian crew members in the region.