The Iran-Israel conflict has claimed an unexpected victim from Bihar’s heartland: Devanandan Prasad Singh, a marine engineer from Bhagalpur’s Ranibimian village in Kahalgaon. Working as Additional Chief Engineer on the oil tanker ‘Safsea Vishnu,’ Singh was heading to Singapore from Basra when disaster struck on March 11, 2026.
Reports indicate a missile targeted the vessel in the Persian Gulf, causing it to erupt in flames. The 27-member crew faced pandemonium; most leaped into the sea to evade the blaze. Swift rescue efforts by Iraqi authorities pulled survivors from the waters, but Singh, severely wounded, could not be saved.
A veteran of the shipping industry since 1993, Singh balanced high-seas duties with family life in Mumbai. His last call home hinted at his busy schedule at sea, unaware of the fate awaiting him hours later. The company notified the family of the attack and his critical condition, followed by the devastating confirmation of his death.
Back in Bhagalpur, shockwaves have rippled through the family. Wife Kumkum and brother Krishnandan are in Delhi, navigating red tape to retrieve his body from Iraq. Son in Japan and daughter studying medicine are left in mourning. The family’s anguish deepens with his mother’s declining health and Kumkum’s hospitalization.
Public appeals have poured in, with relatives urging New Delhi to expedite the process. ‘We just want to see him one last time and give him a proper send-off,’ pleaded nephew Aman. This incident sheds light on vulnerabilities of merchant navy personnel caught in geopolitical crossfires.
As global tensions simmer, Singh’s story serves as a stark reminder of lives upended by distant wars, calling for robust consular aid and insurance safeguards for Indian mariners navigating danger zones.