Shimla : Rajesh Sharma, father of Aditya Sharma, who lost his life in the Strait of Hormuz, called on Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday and urged him to raise the matter of Aditya Sharma's death with the Central Government, claiming that no action has been taken by the Central Government so far.
According to the CMO, the Chief Minister expressed his condolences to the bereaved family members and said that the State Government firmly stands with them. He assured the family that he would take up the matter with the Central Government so that justice would be ensured. He also prayed for the peace of the departed soul. Sushma Sharma, mother of Aditya Sharma, was also present during the interaction.
A total of 24 Indian crew members were onboard MT Settebello in June, and officials confirmed that 21 were rescued, while three died in the US attack. Aditya Sharma, a native of Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, was serving as a deck cadet on the vessel.
Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur on Thursday expressed deep grief over the tragic death of local seafarer Aditya Sharma in an attack on the vessel MT Settebello off the Omani coast. Thakur said that he has been engaging with Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to expedite the process of bringing back Sharma's mortal remains to India.
Speaking to reporters, Thakur said, "One of our young colleagues has lost his life, someone who was rendering his services even outside our country. Today, he is no longer with us. This incident has caused immense grief, not just to the family but to the entire state of Himachal Pradesh. We have also reached out to the Minister of External Affairs and our MEA, requesting that the Indian Embassy raise this matter with the company, the embassy over there, and the local government to bring his mortal remains back to India as soon as possible."
Following the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met USA President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. During the meeting, PM Modi pressed Trump for greater protection for maritime workers caught in the crossfire of escalating regional tensions.
PM Modi's appeal centred on a fundamental principle of global commerce: that civilian workers should not be collateral damage in geopolitical blockades. "We must ensure that sea routes remain secure and that seafarers can carry out their work without fear," he added, urging a collaborative approach to avoid future casualties.
President Trump offered a brief acknowledgement of the tragedy, emphasising the inherent risks of the maritime industry while stopping short of further comment. "I heard about that. It's a rough profession, and we work together on it," Trump remarked. "This has been happening throughout time, but we work together. We love all those people. They are great people."