Families of Indian seafarers killed in West Asia war continue fight for justice, answers and a 'sorry'

Months after the attacks, the families say they are still searching for answers. They want the US to apologise and “say sorry”, demand accountability for the deaths and seek compensation for families left without their sons, husbands and sole breadwinners

As civilian vessels are increasingly caught in the crossfire of the ongoing conflict, families of Indian seafarers killed in US strikes are grappling with grief, unanswered questions and financial uncertainty. For them, the loss is not simply about sailors killed at sea, but sons who will never return home, husbands whose families depended on their income and "dreams that were abruptly cut short".

In an interview with Firstpost's Bhanu Pratap, the families said they are seeking accountability, compensation and answers over the circumstances surrounding the attacks. They want the United States to apologise and “say sorry” for what they describe as a “heinous crime”, while demanding an independent probe into why a civilian commercial vessel was targeted despite the presence of innocent people onboard.

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At the same time, the families have expressed growing frustration with the Indian government, accusing it of failing to mount a strong enough response. They argue that a tougher diplomatic intervention after the first incident could have prevented further attacks. The president of the seafarers’ union said the Indian government could also have taken the matter to the United Nations and sought accountability from those responsible for the deaths.

For Rajesh Sharma, the hardest part of losing his only son, Aditya Sharma, is not just the grief but the silence that follows.

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The toys, belongings and photographs of Aditya have become painful reminders of the son who is no longer there. Sharma says that When relatives and family members are around, the pain is temporarily distracted. But when the house falls silent, Sharma says, the "emptiness becomes overwhelming".

“Every day begins with us remembering him. Whenever we see his toys, his belongings or his pictures, it brings us to tears. He was our only child, and every moment since his death has been filled with pain,” Sharma told Firstpost.

Mourners at the home of Aditya Sharma. Image: Reuters.

“When family members and relatives are around, our attention gets diverted for a while. But when we are alone, the emptiness becomes overwhelming. Being alone is the most difficult and frightening moment for us.”

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The loss has also forced Sharma to confront a future he had never imagined.

“I am 54 years old, and I know it will be very difficult to live without him. We often wonder what will happen when we grow older. Who will look after us then? That phase of our lives will be extremely difficult,” he said.

“When you have a family, you spend time together and plan your life around them. Now, everything has been shattered for us. We have no option but to live with his memories and the guilt and pain of losing him.”

‘We want the US to apologise and say sorry’

For the families, grief has increasingly turned into a demand for answers and accountability.

Sharma says he wants the US to apologise for the deaths and explain why lethal force was used against the vessel.

“We want the US to apologise and say sorry to us. The Trump administration committed a crime. They killed unarmed, innocent people,” he said.

Mortal remains of deceased Aditya Sharma arrive at his home in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India, June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Aqil Khan

According to Sharma, the US could have used other methods to stop the vessel.

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“They could have stopped the vessel through other means. They could have issued a warning or arrested the seafarers. Instead, they chose to attack them. Someone lost a son, someone lost a husband, and someone lost a father,” he said.

Sharma went further, describing the attack as a war crime.

“It was a war crime. They tried to kill innocent people,” he said.

The family’s demand is not limited to an apology. They want accountability to be established and the families compensated.

“Our demands are simple: they must apologise, accountability must be fixed for what happened, and the families must be compensated. Some of those who were killed were the sole breadwinners of their families,” Sharma said.

‘We deserve to know what happened’

For Bhargavi, the wife of Patnala Suresh, the question that remains months after the incident is straightforward: what exactly happened aboard the vessel?

She says the family wants to know whether the crew was warned, what happened before the strike and why the vessel was attacked.

“Instead of attacking the vessel, the US could have used other measures to stop it. What happened was completely unfair. We do not know exactly what happened there, whether the crew was warned or not, or why the attack took place. But it is our right to know what happened and why,” Bhargavi said.

“I really want to know what happened there. We deserve to know the circumstances that led to his death.”

Suresh, she said, had been working as an engineer and was deeply concerned about the worsening conflict.

“My husband was an engineer on the vessel and a very hardworking person. On the day of the attack, he told us that he wanted to come home as soon as possible because of the war,” she said.

Questions over warnings and the attack

Sharma too says the family is seeking clarity over whether warnings were issued to the vessel.

He said he had spoken to members of the crew, including the captain, who told him they had not received any message. At the same time, he recalled a conversation with his son before the attack.

“I have spoken to members of the crew, including the captain. They said they did not receive any message. But my son called me a day before the attack and told me that the US Navy was sending messages over the radio saying, ‘Go back, go back.’ I also have a recording of that call,” Sharma said.

“Even if there was a warning, that does not justify what happened. It was an illegal act. The incident took place in international waters, and they had no right to block the vessel in this manner. Even if they had issued warnings, there were other means they could have used,” he said.

Mourners at the home of Aditya Sharma, an Indian seafarer aboard the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello who was among three crew members killed in a U.S. attack on the tanker, in Hamirpur Image: Reuters

Sharma also said he had written a letter that he intended to send to US senators from both parties, citing reporting and expert views that he believes support the families’ questions about whether other methods could have been used.

“I have written a letter that I plan to send to US senators from both the Democratic and Republican parties. A recent New York Times report cited experts, including former US Navy officers, who said that using missiles or attacking the vessel was not the only option. There were other measures and means available to control or stop the ship. Several experts also said that the vessel was not moving,” Sharma said.

Families turn their anger towards Indian govt

While the families are demanding accountability from Washington, their frustration is increasingly directed at the Indian government as well.

They say New Delhi should have taken a much stronger position after the first incident and should be pushing the US for answers and compensation.

Bhargavi said the Indian government’s response had not been adequate and argued that a stronger response after the first incident might have prevented subsequent attacks.

“The Indian government’s response has not been adequate. If its response had been stronger after the first attack, perhaps the subsequent attacks could have been prevented,” she said.

The families say they have approached the government and want the Ministry of External Affairs to take the lead.

“We are trying to schedule a meeting with the Ministry of External Affairs where we can put our demands forward. The government should take the lead in all of this. The responsibility and procedure should be handled by the Indian government, but so far, they have not been sufficiently involved,” Sharma said.

He said Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur had also contacted him and offered assistance.

“We are not satisfied with the government’s response. In the first few days, the authorities were active and helped us a lot in bringing his body back. But after that, there has been no further inquiry from their side,” Sharma said.

“It feels as though the loss we are facing has nothing to do with them. There were not even condolences.”

Bhargavi said the families had travelled to Delhi to raise the issue.

“We even went to Delhi last Tuesday. The Prime Minister speaks about many issues, but nearly 17 to 18 sailors have died, and the attacks are still continuing. Yet he has not spoken about this issue,” she said.

The families’ frustration is also echoed by Shivanan Chaurasia’s uncle, Ajay Kumar Chaurasia.

“The Indian government has remained largely silent on this issue. It does not seem ready to say anything. I urge the government to seriously consider the matter and push the US to compensate the families for their loss. From what we can see, the Indian government has completely bowed to the US,” he said.

A picture of Shivanand Chaurasia. Image: Reuters

“We want the Government of India to raise this issue with the US government and push for compensation for the families who have suffered these losses.”

‘The government must step forward’

The seafarers’ union says the government’s response should extend beyond diplomacy and include direct financial assistance to the families.

Union president Manoj Yadav said the families had been left in severe financial distress after losing their primary earners.

“No family has been compensated so far. All the seafarers who were killed were the sole earning members of their families, and their deaths have left their families in severe financial distress. The situation of these families is extremely difficult. The government must step forward and do something for them,” Yadav said.

The union has demanded compensation of at least Rs 1 crore for each affected family and a government job for at least one member of each family.

“Our union has demanded that at least one member of each affected family be given a government job. We have also demanded compensation of at least Rs 1 crore for each family. But so far, nothing has happened,” Yadav said.

The union also wants India to take the issue to international forums.

“India’s response has not been satisfactory. No firm decision has been taken so far. We have demanded that the Indian government approach the United Nations against all member states responsible for attacks that killed Indian seafarers and seek compensation of $5 million for the affected families,” Yadav said.

“There must also be an independent investigation and accountability must be fixed. We need to know why a civilian commercial vessel was attacked despite the presence of innocent people onboard.”

Families left without breadwinners

The emotional toll has been compounded by the financial crisis facing families who depended on the seafarers’ incomes.

Ajay Kumar Chaurasia said Shivananand, who hails from Uttar Pradesh's Deoria distract, was the sole earning member of his family.

The family of Aditya Sharma, a seafarer killed in the strike on MT Settebello. ANI

“He was the sole earning member of the family. His parents, wife and children were all dependent on him. His income was their only source of livelihood and their sole bread and butter,” he said.

Sharma said the families of some of the other sailors were facing similar difficulties.

Sharma said the seafarers’ association had provided Rs 10 lakh to each family, but argued that much more support was needed.

“I came to know that Shivanand Chaurasia’s family in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, is extremely poor. He has two very young children, and they desperately need immediate help. The seafarers’ association has given Rs 10 lakh to each family, but more support is needed,” he said.

For families such as Aditya Sharma’s, however, compensation can never address the central loss.

“Whatever money we receive cannot bring our son back. No amount of compensation can fill the void left by his death,” Sharma said.

‘His whole life was ahead of him’

For Sharma, the death of his son also represents the destruction of a future that had only just begun.

“Everything was taken away — his dreams, his life and his career. His future was cut short. He had gone to Glasgow for his studies and had only just begun his career. No amount of money can fill the void he has left behind,” he said.

“He was earning around Rs 5 lakh a month as a captain, and he would have gone on to earn much more. He had his whole life ahead of him.”

The family says it is now asking for compensation and government support for affected families, including jobs for dependants.

“The Indian government has not compensated the families. Many of those killed were young, and their families have been left without their loved ones and, in some cases, without their primary source of income,” Sharma said.

“The families should be provided compensation and, wherever appropriate, a government job for a family member. So far, the Indian government has not done enough for these families.”

Insurance battles add to families’ distress

The families’ concerns also extend to insurance coverage and the responsibility of shipping companies.

Yadav said several insurers had refused to cover deaths occurring in conflict zones, despite shipping companies paying higher premiums to operate in such areas.

“Employers also need to take responsibility. Several insurance companies have denied coverage because the deaths occurred in a conflict zone. At the same time, many shipping companies charged double premiums for operating in these areas. Some companies have obtained war-risk certificates, but even that appears to be only a half-promise when it comes to actually supporting the families,” he said.

Yadav cited the case of Patnala Suresh, whose wife, he said, was informed that an insurance claim had been rejected because his death occurred in a war zone.

“Patnala did not choose to go to a war zone. He was working there and was carrying out his professional duties. His death should be treated as an accident arising out of his work,” Yadav said.

“When the entire country mourns the death of a seafarer, it is deeply distressing that a reputed company like LIC has left his family in such a situation.”

The union says employers and insurers cannot treat the conflict zone as a reason to leave families without support when the sailors were performing their jobs.

'We have submitted documents...'

The families also say the shipping companies involved have not provided enough assistance.

“The shipping company he was working for has not helped us in any meaningful way. There have only been assurances. We have submitted documents to them for compensation,” Sharma said.

For him, however, the question of money remains secondary to the loss itself.

“Whatever money we receive cannot bring our son back. No amount of compensation can fill the void left by his death,” he said.

14 seafarers have died, 3 missing: Yadav

On the data on the killing of 10 seafarers provided by the government in Parliament, Yadav said, “14 people have died and three remain missing.”

“No family has been compensated so far. All the seafarers who were killed were the sole earning members of their families, and their deaths have left their families in severe financial distress,” he said.

For the families, the figures are not merely statistics. They represent fathers, husbands, sons and breadwinners whose absence has transformed the lives of those left behind.

‘It was a barbaric act’

The families have also rejected the idea that the deaths can simply be viewed as unavoidable casualties of a conflict.

Ajay Kumar Chaurasia described the attack on a civilian vessel as unjustified.

“It was completely unjustified to attack a civilian vessel. The US acted like a dictator. Killing an Indian seafarer was not right. It was a barbaric act in which innocent people were killed,” he said.

The families argue that civilian and commercial vessels should not be placed in the line of fire and want an independent investigation into what happened.

Their central question remains the same: if other methods were available to stop the vessel, why was lethal force used?

A fight for answers, not just compensation

For Rajesh Sharma, the family’s fight is ultimately about more than money.

“We are fighting in every possible way to get justice for him. We will use every available means and reach out to everyone who can help us. But we need the support of the Government of India in this fight,” he said.

The families want the US to acknowledge the loss, apologise and accept responsibility. They want India to take up their case more forcefully, pursue compensation and press for an independent probe. They also want shipping companies and insurers to take responsibility for families left financially vulnerable after the deaths.

But beneath all of those demands is the grief that cannot be resolved by compensation or diplomatic assurances.

For Sharma, it comes back to the silence at home — to the belongings of an only child who will never return.

“Every day begins with us remembering him,” he said.

And then comes the question that now hangs over his future:

“We often wonder what will happen when we grow older. Who will look after us then?”