Indian sailors risk work at sea amid ongoing Iran conflict
The escalating Middle East war poses significant risks to Indian merchant sailors working in the region.
Born to landless Indian farmers, Sunil Pooniya thought a job at sea would be his ticket out of poverty.
Instead, his first voyage saw him diving into the ocean to escape a deadly attack driven by the Iran conflict.
For hundreds of thousands of Indians, merchant shipping jobs are a lucrative proposition despite inherent risks.
The attack on Pooniya’s ship killed two fellow Indians — making Indian sailors among the highest merchant maritime casualties from the Middle East war.
Dalip Singh and Ashish Kumar Singh were the first Indians killed in the conflict after their oil tanker was hit by projectiles off Oman’s Khasab port on March 1.
Sunil Pooniya, who had traveled together with Dalip to Dubai, recalled a huge noise and the whole ship shaking due to what he initially believed to be an engine malfunction but turned out to be a missile strike.
The entire ship caught fire.
Pooniya attempted to find Dalip amid the chaos but was unsuccessful.
He and other crew members jumped into the sea wearing life jackets, with 11 merchant sailors killed in the conflict according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), at least four of whom were Indian.
The Strait of Hormuz has seen restrictions on shipping since the United States and Israel launched attacks on February 28, impacting approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
The United States has also imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Ships have been targeted by projectiles in numerous incidents, with an Indian-flagged ship carrying livestock from Somalia reportedly hit and sunk off Oman on May 13.
Thousands of Indians are among the estimated 20,000 seafarers stranded due to the Strait of Hormuz blockade.
Despite these risks, many see shipping as a way out of poverty, offering relatively well-paying jobs for those with required qualifications.
Dalip Singh, an engineering support member, was on his second voyage when he lost his life.
His salary was roughly three times that of the average rural household.
The families of the ship’s captain and other deceased sailors mourn their losses as they face the uncertainty and risks associated with these jobs.
While some remain stranded at sea, others have found themselves in debt cycles within India.
Sunil Pooniya acknowledges the financial benefits of this line of work despite the inherent dangers.
Instead, his first voyage saw him diving into the ocean to escape a deadly attack driven by the Iran conflict.
For hundreds of thousands of Indians, merchant shipping jobs are a lucrative proposition despite inherent risks.
The attack on Pooniya’s ship killed two fellow Indians — making Indian sailors among the highest merchant maritime casualties from the Middle East war.
Dalip Singh and Ashish Kumar Singh were the first Indians killed in the conflict after their oil tanker was hit by projectiles off Oman’s Khasab port on March 1.
Sunil Pooniya, who had traveled together with Dalip to Dubai, recalled a huge noise and the whole ship shaking due to what he initially believed to be an engine malfunction but turned out to be a missile strike.
The entire ship caught fire.
Pooniya attempted to find Dalip amid the chaos but was unsuccessful.
He and other crew members jumped into the sea wearing life jackets, with 11 merchant sailors killed in the conflict according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), at least four of whom were Indian.
The Strait of Hormuz has seen restrictions on shipping since the United States and Israel launched attacks on February 28, impacting approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
The United States has also imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Ships have been targeted by projectiles in numerous incidents, with an Indian-flagged ship carrying livestock from Somalia reportedly hit and sunk off Oman on May 13.
Thousands of Indians are among the estimated 20,000 seafarers stranded due to the Strait of Hormuz blockade.
Despite these risks, many see shipping as a way out of poverty, offering relatively well-paying jobs for those with required qualifications.
Dalip Singh, an engineering support member, was on his second voyage when he lost his life.
His salary was roughly three times that of the average rural household.
The families of the ship’s captain and other deceased sailors mourn their losses as they face the uncertainty and risks associated with these jobs.
While some remain stranded at sea, others have found themselves in debt cycles within India.
Sunil Pooniya acknowledges the financial benefits of this line of work despite the inherent dangers.
