Surat man Killed in Qatar LNG Blast

SURAT :     A devastating industrial disaster thousands of kilometres away has plunged a Surat family into unimaginable grief. After nearly 48 hours of uncertainty, the worst fears of the family of Sunny Patel, a resident of Dumas in Surat, were confirmed when authorities identified him among the victims of the massive explosion at Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG complex, one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas processing and export facilities.

The explosion, which occurred on the night of June 21, claimed 13 lives and left several others injured. Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi stated that the blast was caused by a technical malfunction and ruled out any hostile or external factors.

For Sunny’s family, however, official explanations offer little comfort. The 32-year-old mechanical fitter had left for his night shift after making what would become his final phone call to his wife, Pinkalben, in Surat.

“He always called before leaving for work and after returning home. That night was no different. We never imagined it would be our last conversation,” a family member said, struggling to hold back tears.

As news of the explosion spread across television channels and social media, Sunny’s family desperately searched for information. For two days, they clung to hope, waiting for a call or message. Instead, confirmation arrived through his brother Ravi Patel, who travelled to identify the body in Qatar.

With support from the Indian Embassy, the process of repatriating Sunny’s mortal remains is underway. His body is expected to arrive in Ahmedabad on June 25 before being taken to Surat for the final rites.

The tragedy has left the Patel family shattered. Sunny’s elderly mother, wife Pinkalben, and his sister-in-law now face an uncertain future. The family had already endured the loss of Sunny’s father nearly 15 years ago and the death of an elder brother. Following those tragedies, Sunny and Ravi took on the responsibility of supporting the household and travelled to Qatar in search of better opportunities.

“This family has faced one hardship after another. Sunny worked abroad to secure a stable future for his loved ones,” a local resident said.

Police officials from Dumas visited the family home to offer support and coordinate with higher authorities. They assured the family that all necessary assistance would be extended through diplomatic channels.