Four Indian sailors are stranded amid the ongoing conflict in Abu Al Kaseb area of Basra, Iraq. One of them, Rex Perera, narrated his painful situation while talking to ABP News through video call. Rex told that they have been stuck on the ship for the last one month and the situation is getting worse.
According to Rex, ‘They were present there even before the war started, but now it is not possible to return to India due to the closure of Iraq’s airspace. The biggest problem is that the shipowner has kept their passports and important documents with them and have not returned them for a month, due to which the process of their return is stuck.
A total of 4 Indians are trapped in the ship
He told that there are a total of four Indians on the ship, including two from Uttar Pradesh, one from Nalasopara in Maharashtra and one from West Bengal. There is an atmosphere of fear among everyone.
Rex said, ‘We have packed our bags. There is constant bombing around, if there is any damage to the ship then you will have to run away to save your life with whatever comes in hand.
He further said that for safety, they sleep in shifts, two people sleep and two remain awake, so that in case of any emergency, each other can be alerted immediately. Rex said that the explosions were so strong that the ship shook and it felt as if an earthquake had occurred.
Family members are very upset: Rex Perera
Rex further told that his father is constantly calling him and asking him to return home somehow, everyone is worried and to be honest, I cannot express how scared we all are. We have not received our salary for 4 months, despite this the family is saying that we will not get the money but it will be okay but we should return safely.
Meanwhile, FSUI General Secretary Manoj Yadav met Foreign Minister S. By writing a letter to Jaishankar, he has demanded immediate intervention for the safe return of these sailors. It has been said in the letter that all these sailors are trapped in a very dangerous situation, where there is continuous bombing within a radius of 15-20 kilometers around them.
It is also mentioned in the letter that due to withholding of documents by the shipowner, these sailors are living in ‘jail’ like conditions on the ship and are facing mental stress and fear. Despite continuous contact with the Indian Embassy and DG Shipping, no concrete solution has been found so far. Rex and his comrades have appealed to the Indian government for safe evacuation and return home as soon as possible.
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