Wife Recalls Last Call With Andhra Engineer Killed In Oman Ship Attack

On June 11, those fears turned into reality when Bhargavi was told that her husband was among missing Indian crew members following an attack on their commercial vessel.

12 Jun 2026, 08:49 · www.ndtv.com

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Marine chief engineer Suresh Pattnana from Visakhapatnam died in an attack off Oman's coast
Suresh worked for the shipping company for over a decade and served as a senior chief engineer
He was traveling from China to the Oman-Dubai maritime area before the vessel was attacked

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Suresh Pattnana, a marine chief engineer killed in a recent attack on a commercial vessel off the coast of Oman, had made it a routine to send his family a "Good Morning" message from sea. On June 10, that message never came, recalls his wife Bhargavi.

For Bhargavi, the silence was the first sign that something had gone terribly wrong as hours earlier Suresh had spoken to her about his journey through the tense Oman-Dubai maritime region.

On June 11, those fears turned into reality when Bhargavi was told that her husband was among missing Indian crew members following an attack on their commercial vessel. Soon after, she received the devastating news that her husband has been killed in the attack.

Suresh is survived by his wife Bhargavi and two sons - Jithin (13) and Naheen (10).

Speaking to NDTV, Bhargavi said that her husband had informed her that he was travelling from China towards the Oman-Dubai maritime region as part of the vessel's operational and cargo-related movements before returning to China. She was worried about his safety given the concerns about ongoing regional tensions and conflict in the area.

"Everyone knows the war is going on. We spoke about the risks of entering a conflict zone and asked him to be careful," she said.

According to family, Suresh had been working for the same shipping company for nearly 10 to 12 years and was serving as one of its most senior chief engineers. He had spent the last four months on an assignment in China before joining the vessel involved in the incident.

Family members said Suresh maintained regular contact from sea, sending a "Good Morning" message almost every day over the last several months. On the day of the attack, however, no message arrived, causing concern.

Bhargavi said she last spoke to her husband on the night of June 9 around 8:30 pm. Suresh, who had joined the ship at the end of January, was planning to sign off from after nearly four months on board. He had initially expected a short assignment in China but continued after the previous chief engineer signed off.

As chief engineer, Suresh was responsible for overseeing critical engine and technical operations aboard the ship. Preliminary information suggests that he was engaged in work on the deck when the attack occurred.

Authorities subsequently identified his body during rescue and recovery operations.

Bhargavi has appealed to the Central and Andhra Pradesh governments to expedite the repatriation process to bring his body back and provide support for her children.

"He was the only earning member of our family. I request the governments to bring him home as early as possible and help with my children's education and our livelihood," she said.

Officials have told the family that the repatriation process may take a few days, although no definite timeline has been given.

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