Remains of 3rd Indian killed in UAE tanker fire repatriated

The Consulate General of India in Dubai has repatriated the mortal remains of a third Indian who was killed in a fire on board an oil tanker off the coast of Sharjah on January 29.

Taking to Twitter, the Consulate General announced that the mortal remains of Mohammed Abbas Ansari, a crew member on the MT SAM, has been sent to his hometown Patna on Wednesday, reports the Khaleej Times.

Besides Ansari, Basudeb Harder from West Bengal and Siva Naga Babu from Andhra Pradesh were the other two Indian victims killed in the blaze. Two were still reported to be missing.

"His (Ansari) mortal remains was identified by matching of his DNA with that of his son," Consul General of India to Dubai Vipul told Khaleej Times.

"The remains of the fourth Indian victim, which we are assuming is a person called Kolangi Thankavel, also needs DNA testing. We are waiting for his son to come from India to perform the DNA test," he added.

The fire broke out aboard the Panamanian-flagged tanker, MT Sam, when it was about 30 km off the country's coast between Sharjah and Abu Musa Island in the Arabian Gulf.

The vessel was carrying 12 crew members and 44 technicians from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Ethiopia and Uganda. IANS