A pall of gloom descended on Simlan-da-Gran village in Hamirpur district after reports emerged that 22-year-old sailor Aditya Sharma was killed when an oil tanker operating near the Strait of Hormuz was struck during a military attack off the coast of Oman on Wednesday.
Aditya, a native of the Galore area in the Nadaun Assembly constituency, was serving as a deck cadet aboard MT Settebello. He was the only child of his parents, Ramesh Sharma and Shushma Sharma.
According to reports, the vessel was operating near the Strait of Hormuz when its engine room was hit in the attack. Three Indian sailors — identified as Aditya Sharma, Shivanand Chaurasia and Patnala Suresh — reportedly lost their lives in the incident. The tanker was carrying 28 crew members, while the remaining personnel were rescued.
The news of Aditya’s death has left the village in mourning, with family members and residents struggling to come to terms with the loss. Aditya had joined the maritime service in November 2025 and was undergoing a 15-month training period.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who also represents Nadaun in the Assembly, condoled the death and assured the family of all possible assistance from the state government.
“The loss of Aditya is irreparable. The state government stands firmly with the family in this hour of grief and will provide every possible support,” the CM said.
Sukhu directed the district administration to extend all necessary assistance to the bereaved family and prayed for peace to the departed soul and strength to the family to bear the loss.
Former Union Minister Anurag Thakur expressed condolences to the bereaved family and said he was in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs to facilitate the return of the sailor’s mortal remains.
Barsar MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal also expressed grief over the incident, describing the death of the young sailor as both unfortunate and deeply painful.
