Trace Indian Seafarer Missing After Black Sea Attack: Supreme Court Directs MEA

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to trace a 22-year-old Indian seafarer who went missing after a drone attack on his cargo ship in the Black Sea.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to obtain instructions from the Indian embassies in Ukraine and Romania regarding the whereabouts of Deepak Kumar Gupta, a crew member aboard MV AGN Ragnar, which came under attack near Ukraine's Odesa port on July 25.

“This is a matter which requires your immediate urgent intervention. The petitioner's brother Deepak Kumar Gupta was one of the Indian seafarers. He was serving as ordinary seaman, and their ship was attacked by drones near Ukraine. Now there are misleading or conflicting reports coming. One report says all four seamen were drowned, the other says that two are alive and not dead,” CJI Surya Kant observed. The matter will now be taken up again on Friday.

Gupta's elder brother, Sandeep Kumar Gupta, has approached the supreme court seeking directions to the MEA to coordinate search efforts after repeated representations to the government and Indian missions between July 26 and July 30 allegedly received no response.

Court was told by the petitioner that reports had emerged over the weekend that two persons had been rescued by Romanian authorities. He said that when the petition was filed, reports had stated that two Indians had been rescued, but that news was subsequently taken down. He submitted that international media reports suggested that the two persons reportedly rescued could be the two missing Indian seafarers. However, he said there had been no consular access or contact with them. He also raised an apprehension about possible human trafficking.

The ship was attacked near Ukraine on July 25. There were nine crew members on board, including four Indians. The Indian Embassy in Ukraine subsequently said that two of the four Indian nationals were safe, while information regarding the other two was awaited. Search and rescue operations were undertaken for the missing seafarers.

Last month, the MEA issued an advisory urging Indians considering employment on commercial vessels in the Black Sea region to carefully assess the security risks and remain in contact with Indian missions.

India has also stepped up diplomatic engagement on the safety of its nationals affected by the conflict. In recent months, New Delhi secured the release of 139 Indians recruited into the Russian military and has repeatedly urged citizens to avoid high-risk overseas employment in conflict zones.

Case Title: SANDEEP KUMAR GUPTA Vs UNION OF INDIA

Bench: CJI Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana

Hearing Date: August 3, 2026