VIZIANAGARAM: Vizianagaram MP Kalisetti Appalanaidu has appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure the safe repatriation of five seafarers from North Andhra who are stranded onboard the vessel ‘Pascal’ near Bandar Abbas Port in Iran due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
In a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday, the MP sought immediate intervention by the Indian Embassy in Iran to facilitate the safe return of the seafarers.
According to reports, at least 13 crew members, including four foreign nationals, have been stranded onboard the vessel since March and are facing severe hardship due to inadequate food supplies and lack of basic necessities. Among them are five crew members from North Andhra, including Komara Somaraju of Chintapalli village in Pusapatirega mandal of Vizianagaram district.
The other stranded seafarers are Durga Prasad Nagala, Vishnu Jeeri, Ravi Vankala and Ramana Parapath, all from Srikakulam district. They joined the vessel as Trainee Wipers under M/s High Sea Shipping in June 2025 and were expected to return home after completing their contracts in March 2026. However, the vessel became stranded near Bandar Abbas Port amid the conflict situation in the region. The crew members have reportedly been facing difficulties in accessing food, water and other essentials.