The body recovered from waters in Western Australia last week has been identified as that of Indian national Jatin Mishra.
The 24-year-old sailor was reported missing from MV Green Galaxy, a bulk ore carrier that was anchored off Port Hedland at the time of his disappearance.
According to the WA police, Mr Mishra was last seen at the ship’s morning muster at about 9.30 am on June 12. He was reported missing after he failed to turn up for the afternoon muster later that day.
A massive water and air rescue operation was launched to locate the missing sailor.
Mr Mishra, a resident of Kathgodam in the Nainital district of the north Indian state of Uttarakhand was employed by Anglo-Eastern, a ship management company headquartered in Hong Kong. The MV Green Galaxy was his third ship as a cadet, which he joined last month after completing his pre-sea training in the company's academy.
His uncle, Puran Mishra told SBS Punjabi that Jatin had left home for the job on May 7.
“He had last spoken to his mother on June 7. After that we have not received any communication from his end,” Mr Mishra told SBS Punjabi.
“We were informed about him going missing a few days later and then the following day someone from his company told us that his body had been recovered,” he added.
Remembering him as a ‘loving son’ and a ‘focused student,’ Mr Mishra claimed that they were still not aware of the exact circumstances of the sailor's death.
“We don’t know what really happened to him, how he died. We’d really like the authorities to tell us the details so that his grieving parents can get some closure,” said the devastated uncle.
“All we know is that he left home last month and was due to return soon, as he had applied for leave.”
The WA police told SBS Punjabi that they are treating his death as ‘non-suspicious’ and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.
Responding to the family’s query on Twitter, the Indian Consulate in Perth wrote that the shipping agency was in touch with the consular office to facilitate the transportation of Mr Mishra’s mortal remains to India.
Captain Pradeep Chawla, the Managing Director of Group QHSE (quality, health, safety, and environment) and Training within the Anglo-Eastern company told SBS Punjabi that they are 'shocked and saddened' at the incident.
"We are in close touch with the family and are fully cooperating with the authorities to understand all the possible underlying causes for this tragic incident. The chaplain from Port Hedland Seafarers Centre has visited the ship to comfort his colleagues," Captain Chawla told SBS Punjabi.
"We will, of course, learn from this incident, review our procedures and take further steps to prevent such an incident from happening again," he added.
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