Ranchi Merchant Navy Captain Dies Near Strait of Hormuz, Family Appeals for Assistance to Repatriate Body
Captain Rakesh Ranjan passes away on oil tanker stranded amid West Asia conflict; relatives urge Jharkhand and central authorities to expedite body release
Ranchi, Mar 21: Ranchi based Captain Rakesh Ranjan, 43, serving on the merchant vessel ASP Avana-RPSL-MUM-172, died near the Strait of Hormuz on March 18, allegedly due to cardiac arrest, his family said on Friday. The vessel, owned by a private company, had been stranded about 14 nautical miles off the Strait since February 28 amid halted movements caused by the ongoing West Asia conflict.
Ranjan, who had joined the ship on February 2, was reportedly found unconscious after falling from his chair, and medical assistance was attempted on board. However, permission for airlifting him was not granted. He was later transferred by boat to Port Rashid in Dubai, where he was pronounced dead, according to his elder brother, Umesh Singh.
The family has appealed to the Jharkhand government and the central authorities, including the Indian consulate in Dubai, to help repatriate the body. Singh also requested that the company ensure smooth release of Ranjan’s financial dues and entitlements. “Letters have been sent to CM Hemant Soren and Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth seeking urgent assistance,” he said.
The body is currently held under police custody at the mortuary of Port Rashid. The family said they are awaiting the post-mortem report to confirm the cause of death. Originally from Bihar Sharif in Nalanda district, Ranjan had been living in Ranchi with his wife and two children for nearly 20 years.
Company representatives visited the family earlier this week, stating that legal procedures for the release of the body had begun but were delayed due to the recent three day Eid holiday.
