The body of an Indian sailor missing since an attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman has been recovered, officials confirmed Wednesday. Heramb Karmarkar, a 30-year-old marine engineer from Pune, was reported missing following the incident on Sunday involving the Cypriot-flagged GFS Galaxy.

Manoj Yadav, a representative of the Forward Seamen’s Union of India, said he was informed Tuesday evening by the ship’s owner that Karmarkar’s body had been found by the Omani coast guard. The recovery occurred nearly 60 hours after Karmarkar was initially reported missing. The remaining 23 crew members, which included 10 Indian nationals, were rescued on the day of the attack.

According to the US Central Command, the GFS Galaxy sustained fire damage and engine room impairment resulting in the vessel’s disabling. The U.S. military accused Iran of carrying out the assault. Tehran, meanwhile, has escalated tensions in the region by announcing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and launching missile and drone strikes against neighboring Gulf states. These moves were described by Iranian authorities as retaliation for recent U.S. military actions.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically critical maritime corridor through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil shipments passed prior to the conflict escalation in late February. The waterway remains a focal point of heightened confrontation between the United States and Iran.

India, a country with a significant presence in international maritime trade, had more than 320,000 active seafarers as of 2025. The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed strong concern over the broader pattern of attacks targeting commercial shipping in the region. It called for an immediate end to assaults on civilian vessels and infrastructure to ensure the safety and security of maritime routes vital to global commerce.