India Repatriates 4,052 Seafarers and Secures Strait of Hormuz Passage

The Government of India repatriated 4,052 stranded seafarers from the Gulf region following a geopolitical crisis in West Asia. Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced the achievement after a high-level review, noting that 3,972 of those individuals were evacuated specifically from the Gulf region. To manage the crisis, the government established a 24-hour emergency control system through the DGCOMM Centre (MMDAC), which processed over 16,000 calls and 40,000 emails.

In addition to evacuations, India ensured the safe passage of 60 cargo vessels through the Strait of Hormuz to maintain the flow of energy supplies and essential goods. These efforts follow a maritime incident where the Indian-flagged vessel MSV Faize Noore Oliya sank near Yemeni waters after being struck by a projectile. The Yemeni Coast Guard rescued all 14 crew members, including 13 Indians, and transported them to the Port of Mokha.

To support affected personnel, the Director General Maritime Administration is providing medical assistance, counseling, and financial aid. This includes payments of 10 lakh rupees to the kin of deceased seafarers under the SWFS Special High-Risk Area Scheme.