NEW DELHI: Stranded for two weeks at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas as drones and missiles set ships ablaze nearby, 26-year-old seafarer Ambuj says he has not been home for six months and cannot wait to see his family.
Ambuj is one of about 23,000 Indians working on merchant, harbor and offshore vessels across the wider Gulf region.
Hundreds of tankers and cargo ships have been waiting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian attacks have killed three Indian crew members and left another missing. The plight of Indian sailors in and around the Strait has become a major issue at home, with Delhi saying it is coordinating with multiple authorities, including in Iran, to ensure their safety.
• Some 23,000 Indian seafarers work across the Gulf region.
• Plight of sailors around Strait of Hormuz big issue at home.
