An Indian marine engineer who was killed in an attack on a commercial vessel near the Strait of Hormuz had sent his family a reassuring final message moments before the incident, saying the ship had safely crossed the Gulf.

Heramb Karmarkar, 30, from Pune, was among the Indian crew members reported missing after the Cyprus-flagged container vessel GFS Galaxy came under attack near the coast of Oman on Sunday. His family confirmed on Wednesday that he had died.

According to his relatives, Karmarkar’s last message read: “The ship has safely crossed.” It was the final communication they received from him before the vessel was struck.

Speaking to Indian media, Karmarkar’s father-in-law, Vivek Tandon, appealed to the Indian government to ensure his body is returned home.

“He was a 30-year-old young man, not an elderly person. Our only request to the Government of India is that his body be handed over to us intact and brought home,” Tandon said.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said 10 Indian nationals aboard the vessel were rescued, while one crew member remained missing.