West Asia Conflict | Bombay High Court to hear kin's petition to return mortal remains of sailor who died in Oman

The petition, filed by Solanki’s father Amratlal Solanki has sought directions to the Union government to expedite the repatriation of his remains, claiming lack of clarity from the authorities.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has decided to hear next week a petition filed by a Mumbai-based family of a seafarer who died after a drone hit an oil tanker off the coast of Oman as a fallout of the West Asia crisis.

The family is seeking the return of the mortal remains of the seaman, Dixit Solanki (33) who died in a suspected missile/drone attack that triggered an explosion in the engine room of MT MKD Vyom off the Gulf of Oman.

MKD Vyom, which flies the Marshall Islands flag, is a tanker carrying gasoline.

It was hit around five nautical miles off the coast of Muscat Governorate on 1 March in the backdrop of the Israel-United States coalition strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliation.

The vessel departed Europe on 8 February and was heading to Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia when it was attacked.

The Solankis are residents of Mahaveer Nagar in the Kandivali West suburbs of Mumbai.

They originally hail from Ghogla in Diu, part of the union territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, slightly off the coast of Kathiawad near the Port of Veraval in Gujarat.

Dixit’s father Amritlal Solanki is himself a former seaman.

The petition, filed by Amratlal Solanki and daughter Mitali Solanki through advocates S B Talekar and Madhvi Ayyappan, has sought directions to the Union government to expedite the repatriation of his remains, claiming lack of clarity from the authorities.

The plea will be heard on April 6 by a bench headed by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar.

The plea has been filed against the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the Directorate General of Shipping, and V Ships India Pvt. Ltd, which manages the vessel MT MKD Vyom.

The plea pointed out that it has been more than a month since the sailor has died and that the fundamental right to dignity extends to a person even after death.

The petition relies on maritime regulations and guidelines that require proper handling and repatriation in cases of death at sea.