An Indian marine engineer has died following an attack on the GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged commercial vessel struck off Oman’s coast, escalating risks for global shipping lanes. Heramb Karmarkar, 30, was among 11 Indian crew members aboard the container ship when it was hit by an "unidentified projectile" on Sunday.
Iran’s Role and Regional Shipping Tensions
Iran claimed responsibility, stating the vessel had ignored warnings to correct its course in an unauthorized route. The incident marks the second fatality of an Indian seafarer in the region in three days, with another killed on Tuesday after attacks on two ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Diplomatic and Economic Fallout
India’s foreign ministry has yet to comment, but New Delhi previously lodged a strong protest with Iran after summoning its deputy ambassador over the prior killing. Tehran asserts it has closed the Strait of Hormuz amid renewed hostilities with Washington, though U.S. President Donald Trump insists the waterway remains open to all shipping—except Iranian vessels.
Karmarkar’s death was confirmed to his family by the ship’s operator, according to his father-in-law, Vivek Tandon. The attacks underscore growing volatility in a critical chokepoint for global oil and trade flows.
