Deoria: The family of a 22-year-old seafarer from Deoria district, Uttar Pradesh, has appealed to the central government to facilitate the repatriation of his mortal remains after he was killed in a missile strike in the Black Sea. The victim, identified as Abhishek Nishad of Karmel village, was serving as a deck cadet aboard the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel MV Golden Leo when the ship came under attack near Ukraine’s Odesa port.
According to statements provided by the victim’s father, Kaushal Nishad, Abhishek had departed India on June 10 after securing employment through a Mumbai-based maritime agency. The cargo vessel, carrying agricultural commodities, was hit by cruise missiles shortly after exiting the port of Odesa on July 19. Family members stated that Abhishek spoke with his mother hours before the strike, explaining that air raid sirens were sounding and that he was moving toward a designated shelter area. The family received formal notification of his death from shipping representatives the following evening.
Distressed by the sudden tragedy, the family has reached out to Union Minister of State for Rural Development and local Member of Parliament Kamlesh Paswan, requesting urgent intervention with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Ukraine to ensure the safe repatriation of Abhishek’s body. In addition to assistance with bringing his remains back to his native village, the family has sought financial relief from the government to support them during this crisis.
Maritime authorities reported that eighteen individuals were aboard the vessel when the attack occurred. The strike resulted in multiple fatalities among the international crew, while surviving personnel were rescued and transferred to regional medical facilities for emergency treatment. As diplomatic channels work to coordinate the identification and transfer procedures, the local community in Deoria continues to offer support to the grieving family.
