New Delhi: Captain Rakesh Ranjan, a 43-year-old Merchant Navy officer from Ranchi, died on board an oil-carrying merchant vessel near the Strait of Hormuz on March 18, 2026. According to his family, the cause of death is suspected to be a cardiac arrest. Ranjan had joined the vessel, identified as ‘ASP Avana’ (RPSL-MUM-172), on February 2. The ship had been stranded approximately 14 nautical miles off the Strait of Hormuz since late February due to a total halt in maritime movement triggered by escalating West Asia conflicts involving regional powers and international forces.
The family has reached out to both the Jharkhand state government and the Central government for urgent assistance in bringing his body back to India. Umesh Singh, the Captain’s elder brother, stated that the vessel was immobilized for nearly three weeks before the incident. On the morning of March 18, the shipping company informed the family that Ranjan had lost consciousness and fallen from his chair. Despite efforts by the crew to secure medical evacuation, permission for an air ambulance was reportedly denied due to the prevailing conflict and airspace restrictions in the region. He was eventually transported by boat to Port Rashid in Dubai, where he was declared dead.
Currently, Captain Ranjan’s body is being held at the mortuary of Sheikh Rashid Hospital in Dubai under police custody. The repatriation process is reportedly facing delays due to the ongoing three-day Eid holiday in the region. The family, which originally hails from Bihar Sharif in Nalanda district but has resided in Ranchi for two decades, is also urging the shipping company to ensure the timely release of all financial dues and entitlements. Ranjan is survived by his wife and two young children.
Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth and Chief Minister Hemant Soren have been formally requested to intervene and coordinate with the Indian Consulate in Dubai. While preliminary reports from Dubai authorities suggest a heart attack, the family is awaiting a full post-mortem report to clarify the exact circumstances leading to his sudden health collapse. Once the legal formalities are completed, the body is expected to be flown to Patna before being taken to his ancestral home in Bihar for the final rites.
