Pune Engineer Heramb Karmarkar Confirmed Dead After Strait of Hormuz Attack on MV GFS Galaxy
Pune, 14th July 2026: Heramb Karmarkar, a marine engineer from Pune who had gone missing after a missile attack on the merchant vessel MV GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz, has been confirmed dead, bringing a tragic end to days of uncertainty for his family.
Karmarkar, who was serving as the vessel’s Third Engineer, was the only crew member unaccounted for after the Cyprus-flagged container ship was struck near Omani waters in the early hours of Sunday.
According to reports, the projectile hit the ship’s engine room, sparking a major fire that crippled the vessel’s propulsion system. Before abandoning ship, the crew managed to anchor the vessel to prevent it from drifting. All crew members then evacuated in lifeboats.
The Royal Navy of Oman rescued 23 of the 24 crew members approximately two hours after the evacuation. The ship had a total of 24 crew members, including 11 Indians. Karmarkar, who is believed to have been working in or near the engine room at the time of the attack, could not be located during the rescue operation. His death was confirmed by his family on Tuesday.
The Pune engineer had last contacted his family at 2.49 am IST on Sunday, telling them that the vessel had safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz. Having spent more than three months at sea, he was looking forward to returning home after completing his assignment.
The attack has further escalated tensions in West Asia. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) alleged that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was responsible for targeting the MV GFS Galaxy and said U.S. forces subsequently carried out a third round of strikes against Iran. CENTCOM stated that the ship suffered extensive damage to its engine room due to the fire and had earlier confirmed that one civilian crew member was missing.
The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) expressed concern over the delay in confirming Karmarkar’s fate, alleging that his family waited for more than 32 hours without receiving official information despite repeated assurances about the safety of Indian seafarers operating in the region.
Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned senior Iranian diplomats, including Deputy Chief of Mission Mohammad Javad Hosseini, to protest the attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
