India reaches out to Pak for assistance over 6 seafarers stranded at Karachi port

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had been in touch with the stranded crew members, their employer and the shipping company's agent. He also said New Delhi had made a consular request to Pakistan.The ship was allegedly detained following a dispute between Iran-based KEVER Shipping Company and Karachi port authorities. (Screen grabs: ITG)New Delhi,Nov 13, 2026 19:58 ISTSix Indian sailors have been stranded at Karachi Port for nearly seven months are seeking the government's help to return home. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the matter is primarily a dispute between the shipping company and its employees, but added that it is working with all sides to resolve the issue.MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had been in touch with the stranded crew members, their employer and the shipping company’s agent. He also said New Delhi had made a consular request to Pakistan."It is actually a matter between the owner of the ship and the employees who are on the ship. You cannot just leave the ship. A replacement crew has to come before you leave. 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," he said."We have also made a consular request to the Pakistani side. But essentially, it is a commercial issue between the shipping company and the employees," Jaiswal added. HOW SIX INDIAN SAILORS GOT STUCKThe six Indian seafarers have been aboard the vessel since it reached Karachi on April 17, 2026, according to the family of chief officer Vineet Kishore Mishra. Mishra, a Merchant Navy officer from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, joined Iran-based KEVER Shipping Company on February 25. He later travelled aboard one of the company’s vessels from Oman to Karachi.According to his family, the vessel became caught up in a dispute between the shipping company and Karachi port authorities after its arrival. What began as a dispute involving the company has since left the Indian crew facing months of uncertainty. The families allege that the sailors' passports were seized and that electricity to the vessel was cut off. They also claim communication has become extremely difficult, with the crew sometimes managing to speak to relatives only once in about 15 days.Mishra's family says his employment contract has also expired. However, according to them, he has been unable to formally sign off from the vessel and return home.FAMILIES SAY CREW IS PAYING THE PRICEMishra's relatives say he had left Uttar Pradesh expecting a routine professional assignment. Instead, he has spent months aboard a vessel in Karachi with no clear date for his return. His family has approached the Indian diplomatic mission in Pakistan and sought help from the MEA. Relatives have also contacted the Prime Minister, the President and political representatives, including their local MLA and MP, seeking intervention.The families say they have received assurances that the matter is being looked into, but the sailors remain on the ship.Jaiswal's comments point to a complication that is less visible from the families' perspective. According to the MEA, seafarers cannot simply abandon a vessel while it remains in port. A replacement crew must first be arranged before existing crew members can formally leave.That requirement has become a key part of the dispute.The government maintains that it is engaging with the shipping company, its agent and the stranded sailors while also making diplomatic representations to Pakistan.- Ends