Sunil Puniya, 26, was asleep on his first job at sea when a missile struck the US-sanctioned oil tanker Skylight near the Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of March 1. The ship was the first commercial vessel hit after the US-Israel war with Iran erupted.
Puniya woke to chaos. The missile hit the engine room, causing a blackout and spreading smoke. Along with other sailors, he jumped into the sea as flames spread. The Oman Navy rescued survivors, but his friend, Dalip Rathore, 25, who had taken over his watch in the engine room, was killed and his body never found.
Dalip Rathore was working in the engine room of the Skylight when the ship was struck
The attack is part of a wider crisis. Maritime intelligence firm Kpler reports 38 commercial vessels have been hit in and around the Strait since the conflict began. Over 20,000 seafarers are stuck in the Gulf, according to the International Maritime Organization. The International Transport Workers' Federation has received more than 2,000 calls for help from trapped crews, facing unpaid wages and shortages.
The Skylight was sanctioned by the US in December for transporting Iranian oil, leading to loss of insurance and deregistration from Palau. It was uninsured and effectively stateless when struck, making compensation for victims' families unlikely. The shipowner, Red Sea Ship Management in Dubai, could not be reached.
Puniya says he will never return to sea and has not been able to face Rathore's family.