‘We witnessed war-like situation unfolding’: Indian sailor recounts experiences upon returning home

RAIPUR: Amidst the West Asia crisis and escalating tensions in the Gulf region, the Indian sailors stranded at sea witnessed a “war-like situation” unfolding with missiles and drones flying past them.

Rudransh Chaubey, a young Merchant Navy Trainee Navigation Officer from Chhattisgarh, recalls that in the early days of the conflict, an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear prevailed among the 22 crew members on board. However, guidelines received from the Government of India gave them the courage to overcome the difficult situation.

Now safely back home, Rudransh regards that period as the most challenging and instructive experience of his life.  Chaubey said, “I first joined my ship in Egypt in December 2025. We entered the Strait of Hormuz in the first week of February to deliver cargo to Saudi Arabia; from there, we loaded another consignment for delivery to Egypt, but that was when we learned that Iran was closing the Strait of Hormuz. We were left confused and without clear instructions on what to do next.”

#WATCH | Raipur, Chhattisgarh | Merchant Navy Trainee Navigation Officer Rudransh Chaubey says, “…I joined my ship in December 2025 from the Suez Canal of Egypt. We entered the Strait of Hormuz in the first week of February to discharge a cargo in Saudi Arabia… We got the news… pic.twitter.com/VAVkdNwXn1

— ANI (@ANI) June 11, 2026

“Eventually, the company decided that we should deliver the cargo we had on board to Bahrain. While passing through the Strait of Hormuz, we witnessed a war-like situation unfolding. We saw several missiles and drones flying past us and observed Arab nations intercepting and destroying them. During this time, I also witnessed an attack on a ship,” he said.

Rudransh detailed how his crew managed panic and conducted safety drills after their ship unexpectedly got caught in a war zone near Qatar and Dubai.

“After delivering the cargo at the next destination and while awaiting further orders, we received instructions to load urea in Qatar. We then proceeded to Dubai, where we remained for about a month and a half. It was a first-time experience for everyone, finding ourselves on a ship caught in the middle of a war,” he stated.

“Initially, there were no clear guidelines, leading to a panic-like situation on board; however, we later received clear instructions from the DG Shipping and the company regarding how to handle such a scenario. We also conducted several drills to ensure we could navigate our way out of any situation that might arise,” Rudransh said.

When asked about the most difficult moment while on the ship, Rudransh said, “When the war broke out, we didn’t know how long it would last. Since this was my very first experience in the shipping industry, encountering such a situation was entirely new to me. The initial days were quite challenging, but I also learned a great deal from the experience.”

Adding to this, he said, “A drone attack occurred near our ship while there were 22 of us on board. We were quite rattled at the time and unsure of the best course of action, but we followed the guidelines provided by the company and the government. We gradually overcame the situation and prepared ourselves for what lay ahead.”

Rudransh shared how he communicated with the family. He said, “My family would watch the situation in the region on TV and ask me about the conditions; I would reassure them that everything was fine and there was no cause for alarm. Sometimes, satellite disruptions prevented communication, but I always tried to send at least a message so they would be informed and reassured.”

Rudransh credited India’s DG Shipping for providing critical guidelines and an emergency helpline that kept the crew safe in the war zone.

“DG Shipping is an agency of the Government of India that oversees ships and the people travelling on them. From the very beginning, DG Shipping provided us with guidelines and procedures to follow; we were also given a helpline number so we could call immediately if any problem arose,” Rudransh said.

“My contract ended, which is why I have returned home…It is a relief that we managed to get out of that situation. My only message is that everyone currently there should stay safe and follow the guidelines being issued,” he said. (ANI)