Tehran: A harrowing ordeal involving an overseas maritime worker has brought attention to the plight of stranded Indian sailors abroad. Akshay Harish, a young seafarer and native of Prakkulam in Kollam, has been left stranded in Iran without a passport or travel documents following a series of disruptions involving his shipping vessel, regional conflict, and missing paperwork.
Akshay joined the shipping company on December 5, 2025, through a recruiting agency based in Palakkad, initially boarding a ship from Japan. According to his family, he had anticipated a short 35-day stint without connectivity. However, upon reaching an Iranian port after roughly 35–36 days, the crew prepared for their first sail toward Dubai—coinciding precisely with the eruption of war in Iran.
Reflecting on the terrifying moments, Akshay's mother recalled his distress: "He was crying on the phone as he said, 'Mother, I don't know what to do; we are heading towards Bandar Lengeh.' After that, he didn't call for about two months... [Later], as the war intensified further, they couldn't travel from Iran to Dubai or Oman, so they set sail from Iran to Pakistan."
While their first trip to Pakistan to transport rice went smoothly, the second voyage ran into severe legal and administrative roadblocks. Pakistani port authorities confiscated the passports and Continuous Discharge Certificates (CDCs) of the cabin crew, chief engineer, and captain, citing issues with the captain's certificates and imposing heavy fines.
Although penalties were paid and the ship returned to Iran, the passports and travel documents went missing from the captain's custody. Akshay recounted the helplessness of the situation: "When we reached there, it turned out that the captain's and chief officer's certificates were fake... Upon return, the passports and CDCs went missing. We sat inside the ship at the port for nearly a month. They weren't paying our salaries, so I raised issues and created a ruckus while sitting inside."
While the Iranian captain and chief engineer departed without issue, and six Myanmar nationals aboard the vessel were eventually repatriated via their embassy, Akshay was left behind, confined to a room in Chabahar. Matters peaked when his companions left, leaving him entirely isolated.
In a desperate plea to his family, Akshay called in tears, "Mother, all of them have left, and I am all alone now. My paperwork hasn't been cleared yet, and it seems like it will take months... Mother, please save me somehow; tell someone to help me."
Faced with the imminent threat of her son being stranded indefinitely, Akshay's mother approached local and national leaders for urgent intervention. MLA and Minister Bindu Krishna stepped into the matter, writing directly to the Chief Minister, VD Satheesan; the Union External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar; Kerala's Special Representative in Delhi; and the Indian Embassy in Iran.
Complaints were also submitted to MP Kodikunnil Suresh and Union Minister Suresh Gopi. Following concerted efforts by Union Minister Suresh Gopi, Minister Bindu Krishna, and G. Devarajan, the diplomatic channels swung into action. The case has been formally taken up with the Iranian Ambassador, and officials from the Indian Embassy are slated to meet Akshay in person to issue temporary travel documents.
Expressing relief following the assurances of a safe passage back home, the family extended their deep gratitude: "For bringing my son back and supporting our family, we express our heartfelt gratitude with folded hands to all media representatives and everyone who helped us."