FSUI GS calls on government to step up efforts as stranded Indian seafarers return from Iran amid West Asia conflict
According to FSUI Secretary General Manoj Kumar Yadav, Indian seafarers stranded in Iran and nearby areas are returning in phases, with many traversing difficult routes via Armenia.
“The Indian sailors who were stranded there for the last few days are constantly returning and many of them are coming via Armenia. Today, three sailors arrived from Bandar Abbas, who traveled to Armenia and then reached Mumbai. They set out on April 12 and reached Mumbai this morning. Their condition was very serious,” Yadav said. he said.
He claimed that seafarers were subjected to exploitation and financial hardship during this difficult period.
“They are constantly deceived and forced to stay in hotels for weeks due to lack of money while waiting for tickets and visas. After working for six months, they receive a salary of only $600. Despite this, they were expected to arrange their own travel.”
Expressing his concerns about the government’s reaction, Yadav said that although attention was given to Indian ships, thousands of Indians working on foreign ships were ignored.
“Since the day the war began, the Indian government has emphasized Indian ships and the Indian sailors on these ships. However, no concrete statement has been made about the approximately 23,000 Indian sailors working on foreign ships,” he said. He also questioned official figures on stranded sailors and called for a clearer distinction between repatriation and routine crew changes.
“I believe that the statement issued by the ministry two days ago saying that 19,500 Indian seafarers are still stranded is not entirely true; there are still around 20,000 to 22,000 people stranded there and the way back has not even started. As for the seafarers the government is talking about, many of them have had crew rotation and a new batch of crew has relieved them,” Yadav said. he said.
“Repatriation, release and regular signing are three different things, and I believe the government needs to take this more seriously,” he added.
Calling for stronger intervention, Yadav emphasized that evacuation in conflict situations should be the responsibility of the government.
FSUI General Secretary said, “In a war-like situation, if Indian citizens are stranded abroad, the responsibility of bringing them back lies with the government. It is wrong to expect them to pay for their tickets and accommodation while claiming that they have been repatriated.” he said.
Among returning sailors, they described harrowing experiences of being stranded in Iran due to rising tensions and limited communication.
Ravi, a sailor from Haryana, said they were initially unaware of the situation due to internet outages, adding that their requests to leave the ship were rejected despite the evolving situation.
“We were stranded in Iran and we didn’t even know there was a war going on because there was no internet. One day I saw missiles passing over us and we were told the war had started. They would scare us by saying the ship wasn’t going anywhere.”
“We told the captain that we wanted to sign the contract, but he refused, saying there was no flight. We were stranded for a month. Finally, we decided that saving our lives was more important. Many are still stranded as they were not allowed to leave,” Ravi added.
Another sailor, Anant Singh Chauhan from Uttar Pradesh, described the situation as life-threatening.
“The situation was so bad that we barely escaped. Missiles were falling frequently and it was impossible to sleep. All the other crew left and only us three Indians remained,” he said.
He also called for action against allegations of abuse.
“We request the government to take action against such companies and compensate us for our losses,” Chauhan said. he added.
FSUI reiterated its demand for urgent government intervention to ensure safe evacuation and better protection of Indian seafarers working in conflict zones.
On Thursday, during an inter-ministerial briefing on the latest developments in West Asia, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said it was closely monitoring the maritime situation in the Persian Gulf and taking steps to ensure the safety of Indian ships and sailors in the region.
The ministry said it is coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions abroad and other maritime stakeholders to safeguard the welfare of seafarers and maintain uninterrupted maritime operations.
According to the official update, all Indian sailors in the region are safe and no incidents involving Indian flagged ships have been reported in the last 24 hours.
Established to assist seafarers, the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs (DG Shipping) Control Room has handled 8,155 calls and over 17,399 emails since it became operational. In the last 24 hours alone, 121 calls and 285 emails were received.
The ministry also said that more than 2,857 Indian seafarers have been safely repatriated so far from various places in the Gulf region, including 28 in the last 24 hours.
It also stated that port operations across India remain normal with no blockages reported.
