A merchant navy captain from Bihar has died after a drone attack on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, leaving his family and hometown in shock. Captain Ashish Kumar, a resident of Bettiah in West Champaran district, was serving as the captain of the Palau-flagged oil tanker MV Skylight when it was targeted near the coast of Oman on March 1.
According to Omani authorities, the vessel was struck about five nautical miles north of Khasab Port in Musandam governorate, a strategically important area close to the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker had 20 crew members on board, including 15 Indians and five Iranian nationals. After the attack, rescue teams evacuated several crew members from the ship.
‘We weren’t sure if bhaiya was onboard’
Back home in Bihar, Kumar’s family initially learned about the incident through media reports. His younger brother Akash recalled the moment the family realised the ship mentioned in the news was the same vessel on which Ashish was working. “We weren’t sure if the ship attacked was the one bhaiya was on board,” he said, describing the uncertainty and anxiety in the family as they tried to contact him.
“Everyone hopes for the best in such situations,” said his younger brother Akash Kumar. “When we first saw the reports on social media, we did not think that something like this could have happened to bhaiya.”
The family later received confirmation that the tanker had indeed been attacked and immediately contacted the Indian Embassy in Oman to seek information. For several days, they believed Kumar was missing and hoped he would be rescued. However, the situation soon turned tragic.
‘Our family is devastated’
Officials later informed the family that remains had been recovered from the captain’s cabin of the tanker after a fire broke out following the attack. Reports said the body found there was believed to be that of Captain Kumar, though formal identification would require further confirmation due to severe burns.
The devastating news left the family grief-stricken. “Until yesterday, we considered him missing, but today the news of his death has devastated the entire family,” a family member said.
Captain Ashish Kumar had spent years working in the merchant navy and was the eldest of three brothers. He is survived by his wife Anshu, their five-year-old son Daksh, and his parents. The family has appealed to the Indian government for help in completing the identification process and bringing his remains back to India.