Indian sailors fear for their safety after deadly strike

Indian sailors have said they are scared to do their jobs as commercial ships continue to face attacks in and around the Red Sea.

Three people were killed and at least four wounded in a Houthi missile attack on a Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned vessel in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday.

The Indian Navy swiftly responded to Wednesday’s attack, rescuing almost two dozen crew members, including one Indian citizen.

The incident has sparked fears among Indian sailors who have to sail through the Red Sea.

“We are worried about these attacks. We are scared,” said Ramalingam Elaiyaraja, who works as a crew member on cargo ships.

“The war is between two countries. They should not attack people from a third country. They should not kill people from other countries,” he told The National.

Mr Elaiyaraja, 47, has been working as a sailor for two decades, but the attacks have caused him to fear for his safety.

“We are never told officially about where we are going next. We only know when we board the vessel. No one tells us that the vessel will go through the Red Sea. What can we do? We work even if we are scared,” he said.

“We are trained to deal with pirates, but not drones or missiles.”

Dr A Babu Mailan, chairman of the Indian Seafarers’ Welfare Organisation, urged New Delhi to provide military assistance to ships with Indian crew members for as long as the Houthi strikes continue.

“Attacks in the Red Sea are worrying,” Dr Mailan said.

“The welfare of sailors is affected. If the sailors don’t work, global trade will stop. The sailors’ welfare needs to be considered.”