Israel-Iran war: Plea before Bombay HC to bring back mortal remains of Indian seafarer killed off Oman coast

A petition has been filed before the Bombay High Court alleging administrative inaction in bringing back the mortal remains of an Indian seafarer killed off Oman coast in an Iranian missile strike [Amratlal Gokal Solanki & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors.].The seafarer, Dixit Amratlal Solanki, reportedly died on the vessel MT MKS Vyom off the Oman coast in early March 2026 during the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict..The petition before the High Court has been filed filed Solanki's parents and sister contending that the respondents, including the Directorate General of Shipping, the Indian Embassy in the UAE, and VShips India, have failed to ensure the timely repatriation of his mortal remains..According to the petition, the authorities are legally obligated to retrieve and repatriate the mortal remains. “The family has a right to receive the mortal remains of the deceased family member and perform rites guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The respondents are under a legal obligation to ensure speedy repatriation of the mortal remains of the deceased under Article 21 and the Merchant Navy Act,” the petition contends..The matter is expected to come up for hearing shortly before the bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad..Solanki was an 'oiler' in the engine room of the vessel MT MKS Vyom. Initial reports stated Solanki was injured and unconscious when the vessel was struck by a missile on March 1 and subsequently went missing. While the rest of the crew was rescued, he was reportedly left behind. He was later declared missing and then dead..Despite multiple appeals to authorities like the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministries of External Affairs, Home and Shipping, and the Indian Consulate in Dubai, the family has seen no progress..The family was informed that the shipping agency informed the Consulate on March 17 that skeletal remains, believed to be Solanki’s, had finally been recovered and handed over to the Sharjah Police for the formalities necessary for a death certificate. However, since then, there has been no confirmation regarding identification or a timeline for the repatriation of the mortal remains..Therefore, the family has now prayed for directions from the High Court to the Central government and the Indian Consulate in Dubai to facilitate the immediate recovery, identification and transportation of Solanki’s remains to India.