Family awaits body of son who died in Saudi Arabia

Nagpur: Seven days after the Sharmas of Clarke Town lost their elder son Luv, 36, on board a cargo carrier Bahri Bulk at Dammam in Saudi Arabia on February 24, his body is yet to arrive here. The United Arab Emirates government has announced a probe into the incident which may cause further delays. Apart from Luv, another Indian and their Ukrainian captain too are among the dead.
Luv was in Merchant Navy for one-and-a-half decade. He was the chief officer with Dubai-based Bahri ship management from November 18 last year. He had reached Dammam with some consignments of wheat bran from Brazil in the ship.

It’s learnt, on the day of the incident, the Indian sailor had collapsed inside the cargo hold while loading the anchored ship. Luv rushed to the cargo confinement to help the colleague but he too collapsed. The Ukrainian captain too collapsed after he rushed to help them.

At 3pm, the Sharmas were informed about hospitalization of Luv and his two colleagues. After around three hours, the family was informed about Luv’s death. “We presume he died of poisonous gas inhalation,” said Rajeev Sharma, Luv’s father .

Married around five years ago, Luv was yet to become a father. His wife Neha too is working. He also has a younger brother.

Rajeev Sharma, who had retired from a public sector company, said he has already taken up the issue with Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and also with the office of the Union transport minister, Nitin Gadkari. “The MEA has started corresponding with the Indian embassy in UAE but we have no clue when the wait would end,” he said.