Mumbai: Merchant Navy Seaman Found Dead Near Sassoon Dock, Investigation Underway

A young Merchant Navy Seaman's tragic death has raised several questions after his body was recovered near Sassoon Dock. The deceased, identified as Sunil Pachar (23) from Rajasthan, had been missing from his cargo ship for two days before his body was found. Colaba Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation.

Sunil, who had been working on a cargo vessel since November 2024, was last seen on February 3. According to cargo ship Master-in-Charge Debashish Mandal, Sunil was resting on the ship’s driving deck along with another sailor. The other sailor left briefly to make tea, and during this time, Sunil is believed to have woken up suddenly and fallen into the sea while relieving himself.

On February 4, his shipmates filed a missing person complaint at Yellow Gate Police Station. However, it was not until February 5, around 1:30 PM, that his body was discovered near Sassoon Dock.

While initial reports suggest it was an accident, police have sent the body for post-mortem at St. George Hospital to determine the exact cause of death. Given the mysterious circumstances of his disappearance and death, authorities are exploring all possible angles in their investigation.