Deonandan Prasad Singh, a resident of Kandivali East and Additional Chief Engineer (Superintendent) on board the oil tanker MT Safesea Vishnu, died on March 11 after an attack near Khor Al Zubair Port, close to Basra in Iraq.
Who was Indian Engineer Deonandan Prasad Singh?
He was originally from Bihar, in his mid-50s, and moved to Mumbai in 2019. Singh leaves behind his wife and two children.
The tanker, flying under the Marshall Islands flag, came under attack just two days earlier, caught up in the ongoing turmoil and security threats in the region.
During the incident, Singh suffered grave injuries and didn’t survive. Authorities managed to rescue 15 other Indian crew members from the US-owned tanker. The explosion ripped through the ship, sending a huge fireball into the night sky. Iran later claimed responsibility, saying it had coordinated drone strikes on two vessels in the Persian Gulf—one of them being the Safesea Vishnu, where Singh was serving.
🚨 NEW
US-owned SAFESEA VISHNU oil tanker has been hit near Iraq by an underwater drone
This the first US-owned oil tanker taken out in this war pic.twitter.com/Hzdbs6czk2
— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) March 11, 2026
Oil Tanker Blast Near Iraq
Along with the Safesea Vishnu, the Maltese-flagged vessel Zefyros was also hit. Both ships were anchored close to each other, and both were caught in the blasts and fires that followed.
This incident has only deepened worries over the safety of one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
Maritime authorities and investigators are now looking into exactly what happened, but people are on edge. Safety for those working in risky waters isn’t getting any easier.
The company managing the Safesea Vishnu, along with its partners, offered condolences to Singh’s family and promised support for them and the rest of the affected crew.
Indian Embassy confirms death
The Indian Embassy in Baghdad confirmed Singh’s death soon after the attack. Lately, Iran had warned that it would go after ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that handles around a fifth of the world’s oil.
