Six Indian Sailors Stranded at Karachi Port for Over Six Months; India Steps In

New Delhi has formally reached out to Pakistan for consular assistance as six Indian merchant navy seafarers remain stranded aboard a commercial vessel at Karachi Port for over six months.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Friday that diplomatic channels with Islamabad have been activated alongside direct negotiations with the ship's operators to secure the crew’s safe return.

Addressing the media, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal explained that the prolonged standoff stems from a commercial dispute between the ship’s owner and its employees, compounded by administrative hurdles.

Under maritime regulations, seafarers cannot simply abandon a vessel; a replacement crew must first arrive before existing personnel can formally sign off and disembark.

"We have been in touch with these people there, as well as with the employer—the shipping company and their agent—and we are trying to resolve this issue," Jaiswal stated, noting that while New Delhi has submitted a formal consular request to Pakistani authorities, resolving the employment and replacement dispute remains central to freeing the mariners.

The vessel, operated by the Iran-based KEVER Shipping Company, has reportedly been held up at Karachi Port amid disputes with local port authorities.

Among the stranded crew is an officer from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, who had left India in February expecting a routine maritime assignment. According to his family, his employment contract has long since expired, yet he has been barred from signing off.

For the families back home, the ordeal has been marked by severe anxiety and communication blackouts.

Relatives report that restricted connectivity aboard the detained ship allows the sailors to make brief phone calls only once every 15 days, leaving families with minimal updates regarding their living conditions, food supplies, and health.

Following repeated appeals from the stranded officer's relatives to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and the Union government, officials have intensified coordination with the shipping agent to expedite relief crew arrangements.

With diplomatic pressure mounting, families are hoping swift cooperation between New Delhi, Islamabad, and the vessel’s operators will finally bring the six mariners home.