Weeks Before His Wedding, Indian Merchant Navy Officer Detained By US On Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker

Three Indians are among the 28 crew members of the Russian-flagged Venezuelan-linked oil tanker Marinera (formerly known as Bella 1), that was captured by the U.S. Coast Guard last week in the Caribbean Sea. Among the Indian crew members is a 26-year-old Merchant Navy officer who was set to return to India next month for his wedding, that is scheduled to take place on February 19.

Rikshit Chauhan, who hails from Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district, is now stuck in a foreign land a month before his big day, with no clarity over when he would get to return home. Chauhan's family is now praying to God for his safe arrival.

His family has also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to ensure his safe return to India. They had last talked to the officer on January 7, just hours before the oil tanker was captured by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Who Is Rakshit Chauhan?

Officer Rakshit Chauhan, a native of Himachal Pradesh's Palampur, joined the Merchant Navy in 2025. Employed by a Russian firm, his voyage on Bella 1 was his first major sea assignment. He had been sent to Venezuela to collect oil. 
The two other Indians on Bella 1 are reportedly from Kerala and Goa. 

Apart from the three Indians, there are 17 Ukrainian citizens, six Georgian citizens and two Russian citizens stuck on the oil tanker, which was carrying Venezuelan-linked crude oil and was travelling to Russia when it was chased and intercepted by U.S. forces. US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said that the tanker is part of a large “ghost fleet” of sanctioned vessels that carry oil from Russia, Iran and Venezuela in defiance of Western sanctions.

Also Read- 3 Indians Among Crew Of Venezuela-Linked Oil Tanker 'Marinera' Seized By USA: Report