The ongoing tensions amid the US-Israel-Iran conflict are now directly affecting Indian homes, with a tanker captain and his crew stranded near the Strait of Hormuz. Captain Virendra Vishwakarma, a resident of Dahisar East in Mumbai, has been stuck near the strategic waterway since March 2 along with 33 crew members aboard an LPG tanker.
Speaking from the vessel, Vishwakarma said the crew is witnessing missile and drone activity in the skies almost daily and hopes the Indian Navy will escort the tanker safely back to India. “We see missiles and drones flying overhead almost every day and hear sirens constantly. We are worried that anything could happen at any time,” he said.
TANKER CARRYING LPG FOR INDIA
The tanker, carrying enough liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to fill about 3.6 million domestic cylinders, is currently stranded at Mina Saqr Port, a deep-water seaport in Ras Al Khaimah, part of the United Arab Emirates.
The ship had been loaded at Mina Al Ahmadi Port and was headed to Deendayal Port, previously known as Kandla Port, in Gujarat’s Kutch district.
Vishwakarma said the crew currently has food supplies sufficient for around 60 days, and the ship’s operator, GESCO, is coordinating with authorities.
“Our company is helping us and has assured us it is in touch with the navy and the relevant ministries to arrange for our safe return,” he said.
FAMILIES ANXIOUS BACK HOME
Back in Mumbai, the captain’s family says the uncertainty has taken a heavy emotional toll. His wife Nilpa Vishwakarma said she has barely slept in days, worrying about her husband and the crew amid the escalating conflict in the region. “I pray every day that my husband and his crew return home safely. I haven’t been able to sleep for several days,” she said.
She added that the family remains in touch through WhatsApp audio and video calls, but the ship’s internet connection is unreliable. “My two children and I speak to him whenever the internet works. Sometimes the connection drops, and then we just keep waiting to hear from him again,” she said.
With the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remaining tense, the crew continues to wait for a safe passage under naval protection to bring the tanker and its cargo back to Indian waters.
IRAN ALLOWS INDIAN VESSELS TO PASS THROUGH HORMUZ
Meanwhile, Iran has allowed two liquefied petroleum gas tankers bound for India to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Reuters report on Friday. The move came hours after Iran’s Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, indicated that Indian vessels could receive safe passage through the critical shipping corridor despite the ongoing war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
Calling India an important partner, Fathali suggested that positive developments regarding transit through the strait could be expected within hours and said the two countries shared common strategic interests in the region.
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