Indian seafarers suicide
Suicide is a major cause of death amongst Indian seafarers and across nationalities globally, with recent data indicating it as the second most common cause of fatalities on board cargo ships, accounting for roughly 9% to 11% of deaths. According to the data compiled by the National Crime Research Bureau, the suicide rate in India stands at 12.4 per 100,000 persons per year presently, with about 32% of such unfortunate cases attributed to family reasons. Given that the shipping industry employs around 300,000 Indian seafarers, it is obvious and inevitable that the maritime sector too witnesses its share of self-harm incidents. Such untoward incidents aboard cargo vessels at deep seas involving natural or unnatural death of Indian seafarers, including suicides, lead to challenging situations for Government of India's Directorate General of Shipping recognized RPSL or Recruitment and Placement Services License companies that recruit semi-skilled and skilled Indian seafarers aboard cargo ship fleets world-wide.
Capt Girish Phadnis
Capt Girish Phadnis, the chief operating officer of India's leading shipping association, The Maritime Association of Shipowners Shipmanagers and Agents said, "The report stated by Government of India's the Directorate General of Shipping of India highlights 335 fatalities between 2018 and 2025 includes natural deaths and suicides of Indian seafarers. In this context, it may not be fair to blame RPSL companies before the competent authorities complete their formal investigations. Maritime operations are complex, involving shipowners, flag states, insurers, and regulatory bodies. Premature accusations can damage reputations without verified evidence."
Capt Naren Bhatt
A renowned maritime entrepreneur and promoter of Supna Holdings, Capt Naren Bhatt said that in today's world of social media, where everyone has an opinion and the means to put that out into the cyberspace, it is inevitable that Indian RPSL companies are unfairly blamed whenever deaths of Indian seafarers occur on cargo ships even before the investigations are completed by the competent authorities, including police and the governmental agencies.
Amar Singh Thakur
Former general secretary of The Maritime Union of India, Amar Singh Thakur said "Fatalities at sea involve complex factors like natural causes, mental health, accidents, etc. Media and stakeholders should focus on facts, not assumptions. Fairness demands patience and respect for investigative processes. Only then can meaningful safety improvements be achieved."
Capt Pradeep Chawla
A renowned maritime personality and founder of âMaritime Knowledge Limited', Capt Pradeep Chawla too reiterated the fact that in most cases, the RPSL shipping company based in India and the ship owners or ship managers do everything possible to make the family of the deceased seafarer comfortable. He said, "The tendency for armchair experts to give their opinions without waiting for any details is incorrect and irresponsible. It creates wrong impressions and more traumas for the families."
Sabyasachi Hajara
Former chairman and managing director of The Shipping Corporation of India, Sabyasachi Hajara opined that since the stakeholders like shipowners, ship managers and the RPSL agents are the most proximate agencies to the unfortunate death of a seafarer on-board the cargo vessel. The immediate fallout of such an unnatural death will be the suspicion on these stakeholders to be involved in one way or the other, and only a thorough investigation by competent authorities can either clear the stakeholders of such suspicions or hold them guilty.
Milind Kandalgaonkar
"It is important to acknowledge that nearly 3, 00,000 Indian seafarers serve across global waters and many of them undertake two to three contracts annually. While the overall fatality ratio may appear statistically low in comparison to the scale of deployment, statistics can never dilute the value of a single human life. Particularly alarming are incidents involving suicide and "missing at sea" cases. Safety at sea must include mental well-being, not just compliance checklists," said Milind Kandalgaonkar, general secretary cum treasurer, National Union of Seafarers of India or NUSI.
Capt Savio Ramos
The stakeholders of Indian maritime industry hence believe that any incident unfortunate involving Indian seafarers, including suicides aboard cargo vessels at deep sea, must first be established and formally communicated by the concerned RPSL shipping company and the Directorate General of Shipping before any conclusions are drawn. The Maritime Union of India general secretary Capt Savio Ramos said, "It is essential that the findings of the competent authority, along with the actions taken, are transparently shared with all stakeholders. A fair, fact-based, and transparent process is crucial to protect the interests and dignity of Indian seafarers and to maintain trust across the maritime industry."
As India sails toward becoming a global maritime hub, the country's reputed RPSL companies remain committed to innovation, inclusion, and human-first governance because the ocean may carry ships, but Indian seafarers carry the nation forward. To prevent suicides of Indian seafarers aboard the ships, and protect the prestige of maritime recruitment companies operating in the country when such fatalities occur; physical, mental, and social well-being of Indian maritime professionals should be given utmost importance. And, RPSL companies too deserve support.
