‘No one could sleep’: Indian sailors recount nights of missile attacks near Strait of Hormuz

Summary

Loud explosions of drones and missiles at night terrified Indian sailor Tithi Chiranjeevi after his ship was stranded in Iran for over a month due to the the Strait of Hormuz blockade. “Around 10 to 20 missiles struck every night. No one could sleep,” he told news agency Reuters, while describing the conditions outside Iran’s port of Khorramshahr on his 15-day journey to return home last week. Chiranjeevi, 28, had spent six months aboard the Iranian cargo ship ‘Ilda’, which carried construction material to Dubai before the Strait of Hormuz blockade trapped it. As they ran out of food and communication links snapped, Chiranjeevi lost contact with his widowed mother in Visakhapatnam. Around them, at least 2,000 ships were stranded near the 17-km waterway that usually carries one-fifth of the world’s supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). For Chiranjeevi and others onboard, the blockade turned routine shipping work into survival. “Our families were very concerned,” he said. ‘Thought we may not return’ Anant Singh Chauhan, another Indian sailor on the route, worried about whether he would be reunited with his parents living in Dewaria, Uttar Pradesh. “Sometimes, we used to feel we won’t be able to make it back home,” Chauhan said. The conflict in the region has already killed at least three Indian seafarers. Before fighting broke out in February, around 138 ships crossed the Strait every day, according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre. Now, nearly 2,000 vessels remain stuck around the narrow 17-km waterway. Story continues below this ad India supplies one of the world’s largest seafaring workforces, with government figures putting the number at 3 lakh by September last year. The government says it has helped around 3,000 sailors return safely from the Gulf region, including at least 23 this week. Violence in the region has killed at least three Indian seafarers so far. Before the conflict began in February, about 138 ships passed through the Strait each day, the Joint Maritime Information Centre says. Loans, debt and a way back home Chiranjeevi and Chauhan said they each borrowed Rs 4.5 lakh from relatives and moneylenders to secure jobs on international vessels. Even after returning home, the loans remain. But Chauhan said the relief outweighed everything else. The Express Global Desk at The Indian Express delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More