SC Seeks Diplomatic Effort To Find Missing Sailor
The apex court was hearing a plea filed by Sandeep Kumar Gupta, elder brother of the missing seafarer, seeking directions to the Ministry of External Affairs to coordinate with Indian embassies in Ukraine and Romania to undertake search and rescue operations.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the ministry of external affairs to use its diplomatic channels to trace a seafarer missing after his cargo ship was struck by drones on July 25 in the Black Sea.
A three-judge bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to seek instructions from the Indian embassies in Ukraine and Romania and enquire about the whereabouts of Deepak Kumar Gupta, who was onboard cargo ship MV AGN Ragnar.
The matter is listed for hearing on Friday.
The apex court was hearing a plea filed by Sandeep Kumar Gupta, elder brother of the missing seafarer, seeking directions to the Ministry of External Affairs to coordinate with Indian embassies in Ukraine and Romania to undertake search and rescue operations.
The plea said the family had written to the ministry of external affairs and the Indian embassies in the two countries between July 26 and July 30 but did not receive any response or assurance.
The 22-year-old seafarer went missing after a merchant vessel carrying Indian crew members came under attack near Odesa port in Ukraine.
According to family members, Deepak Kumar Gupta, a resident of Bharataul village in Bareilly district, was working as a crew member aboard the merchant vessel MV AGN Ragnar.
His family originally hails from Siwan district in Bihar but has been residing in Bharataul village in Bareilly for several years.
