Mumbai, May 1: Sailors returning from war-torn Iran have recounted their terrifying experiences, revealing that missiles were fired nearby and they struggled to obtain permission to leave their ship. Many had lost all hope of returning home.
Manan Singh Chauhan from Uttar Pradesh had gone to Tehran last October, working as a trainee on a ship. He credited Manoj Kumar Yadav, General Secretary of the Forward Seamen Union of India (FSUI), for facilitating their return. “We were stuck in a situation where we couldn’t get a sign-off from the captain,” he stated.
He described the fear they faced, saying, “Whenever missiles fell, it felt like we wouldn’t survive. But perhaps we were saved by our parents’ blessings. On Eid, around 70-80 missiles fell. I could feel the ground shaking in my cabin.”
Chauhan noted that all the Iranian crew had abandoned the ship, leaving him and two other Indians alone. “Our ship was stranded in Khorramshahr, where many missiles were targeted. On April 12, 2026, we left for Bandar Abbas, where a new captain finally gave us sign-off. From there, we took a taxi to Bushehr and then to Jolfa.”
He continued, “From there, we reached Armenia. A boy named Dibakar Yadav was trapped in the war. I got Manoj Sir’s number and contacted him.”
Chauhan alleged that out of the $600 they received as salary, $300 was spent on their return journey. “We had almost lost hope of returning home, but thanks to Manoj Sir, we made it back.”
He claimed that sailors trapped in the war in West Asia received no assistance from the government. “Even now, about 80-90 people are still stuck there,” he added.
Additionally, he complained about agents who deceive sailors. “We were told we would be taken to Dubai, but instead, we were sent to Iran.”
Another sailor from Haryana, Ravi, mentioned, “Only after crossing the Armenian border did we regain hope of reaching India.”
Regarding their situation in Iran, he said, “The ground shook so violently while we slept that it felt like missiles were falling nearby. Sometimes we were too scared to sleep.”
Ravi also refrained from informing his family about his predicament, fearing it would upset his mother.
Chiranjeevi from Andhra Pradesh shared, “Iranians told us to either flee or jump into the sea with life jackets.”
Manoj Kumar Yadav of FSUI explained that due to the closure of airspace, the sailors had to undertake a long and arduous journey by road.
He highlighted their financial struggles, stating, “They had no money for fare or even for two meals a day. While others may see it as a ceasefire, sailors have not benefited from it. Over 20,000 of them are still trapped there.”
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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