RANCHI: Captain Rakesh Ranjan Singh, a 47-year-old Merchant Navy veteran from Ranchi, reportedly passed away due to a cardiac arrest while stationed in the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel.
According to family members, he left Ranchi for Dubai on February 2 to rejoin the vessel ‘Avana.’ The ship later sailed into the Strait of Hormuz to load an oil consignment and departed for India on March 1.
However, due to escalating tensions and war-like conditions in the region, the vessel was forced to halt operations at sea. The family members also informed that the ship remained anchored nearly 60 kilometers off the coast of Dubai for around 18 to 20 days, with approximately 35 crew members on board, including Captain Singh.
During this prolonged and stressful period at sea, his health reportedly deteriorated suddenly on March 18. Sensing the seriousness of the situation, junior officers on board contacted Dubai air traffic authorities seeking an air ambulance. However, due to the prevailing conflict, necessary clearance could not be secured in time.
Subsequently, he was transported from the ship to the Dubai coast on a boat. However, the delay in receiving medical treatment proved fatal. He suffered a heart attack and passed away before even reaching the hospital.
According to the family members, they are yet to receive a clear explanation about the precise medical circumstances surrounding his death. While a heart attack has been cited as the cause, they are seeking a detailed account of the sequence of events that led to his sudden health deterioration.
Family members believe that timely medical evacuation might have saved his life. “On March 18 evening, we were informed by the shipping company that Rakesh ji has gone unconscious. Panic gripped the family and we started contacting everywhere, including the company’s head office in Singapore, seeking the current status of his health conditions,” said Captain’s brother Umesh Kumar.
After keeping them in dilemma for around 7-8 hours, they were informed that Captain Rakesh is no more, he added. “Exact cause of death is still not known to us and them have not given anything in writing about the reasons which led to his death,” said the brother.
Had 5-6 hours not been wasted, his life might have been saved, he added. Umesh Kumar also demanded expedite repatriation of dead-body from the government of Inda. Captain Sanjeev Kumar—a close friend of Captain Rakesh Ranjan and a veteran of the Merchant Navy with 28 years of service also believes that had appropriate medical facilities been made available in a timely manner, the captain’s life could perhaps have been saved. He has urged both the government and the company to extend financial and humanitarian support to the family. Currently, his mortal remains are being kept in the mortuary at Sheikh Rashid Hospital in Dubai. The process of repatriating his body to India is currently underway. Captain Rakesh Ranjan was originally a native of Bihar Sharif, located in the Nalanda district of Bihar.