Indian Seafarer’s Body Returned From Venezuela With Vital Organs Missing, Union Seeks Probe

The family of an Indian seafarer who died while working in Venezuela has demanded an investigation after a post-mortem conducted in India found that several vital organs were missing from his body, making it impossible for doctors to determine the exact cause of his death.

The case has led the Forward Seafarers’ Union of India (FSUI) to seek intervention from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassy in Venezuela.

The union has called for a full investigation, accountability from Venezuelan authorities, and the release of the original autopsy report.

Rakesh Chauhan, 33, from Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh, was working as a fitter aboard the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Eliak after being sent by Navi Mumbai-based Xfinity Maritime Services.

According to the company, Chauhan died of cardiac arrest in Venezuela in May 2026. However, his family said they received his body without any post-mortem report or explanation from Venezuelan authorities about how he died.

After Chauhan’s body reached his hometown on June 4, his family approached the FSUI, which advised them to get an official post-mortem done in India.

The examination was carried out at the Post Mortem House in Deoria by Dr. Piyush Kumar Singh, Dr. Vineet Kumar Singh and Dr. Shambhu Prasad. The report was issued on June 7.

The post-mortem found that Chauhan’s body was 161 cm tall, weighed 60 kg and had long stitched incisions from the neck to the pubic region and across the back of the head. Doctors also noted that the body had been kept in deep freeze from May 7 to June 5.

According to the report, the meninges and blood vessels were missing. It also found that the brain, heart, both lungs, coronary arteries, stomach, intestines, spleen, kidneys, gall bladder, thyroid, hyoid bone, larynx, trachea, pleural cavity, pericardium and major blood vessels were absent.

Because these organs were missing, doctors said they could not determine the cause of death. The report also stated that there were no ante-mortem injuries.

In a post on X, the FSUI said Chauhan’s body was sent back to India without any autopsy report or details from Venezuelan authorities. Calling the findings “unacceptable”, the union said the body showed signs of a previous autopsy but no major internal organs were found.

⚠️ SHOCKING CASE — Indian Seafarer #RakeshChauhan reported dead in #Venezuela.
Mortal remains sent back to his hometown in Uttar Pradesh without any autopsy report or details from Venezuelan authorities.
Family demanded re-autopsy. The official Post-Mortem Report conducted in… pic.twitter.com/4dGSZtPEfp

— FSUI (@FSUIINDIA) June 30, 2026

The union has demanded a full investigation by Venezuelan authorities, immediate intervention by the Indian Embassy in Venezuela, and the release of the complete autopsy report and details of the circumstances surrounding Chauhan’s death. It has also sought justice and compensation for his family.

FSUI General Secretary Manoj Yadav told ETV Bharat that he had raised the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Venezuela, requesting an inquiry.

“We want the Indian government to demand a thorough investigation and immediate intervention,” Yadav said.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Chauhan’s widow, Ranjana, said she was still in shock over both her husband’s death and the findings of the post-mortem conducted in India. She said the family decided to go ahead with the examination after the union advised them to do so.

Chauhan’s father, Ram Dev Chauhan, said the family received different explanations from the company about what had happened. He said they were first told that Chauhan had fallen on the ship and was receiving treatment.

The next day, they were informed there was a 95% chance he would not survive, and later they were told he had died. When the family asked about the cause of death, the company allegedly said he died from injuries suffered in the fall.

The family also said the company had promised to return Chauhan’s body within a week, but it reached Deoria nearly a month later, on June 4.

According to the family, doctors in Deoria initially refused to conduct another post-mortem because it appeared one had already been carried out. The examination was later conducted after an order from the district magistrate.

Responding to the allegations, Sushma, a senior manager at Xfinity Maritime Services, confirmed to ETV Bharat that Chauhan had been working aboard the Palau-flagged MT Eliak, but said the company could not comment on the matter.

“We can’t give such vital information to the media. We cannot ascertain what you are talking about has actually happened,” she said.

The family has urged the Indian Embassy in Venezuela to find out why the organs were not returned to the body after the reported first autopsy and why no post-mortem report was provided by Venezuelan authorities.

The incident comes as seafarers’ organisations continue to raise concerns about the welfare of Indian crew members working worldwide. According to Indian government data, Indians account for about 12% of the global seafaring workforce.

It also follows recent concerns raised by International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, who said seafarers “feel forgotten” amid rising geopolitical tensions after a series of attacks on commercial ships, including incidents that killed Indian seafarers.

References: etvbharat, timesnownews