India has approached Pakistan for assistance in bringing home six Indian seafarers stranded aboard a vessel at Karachi port for nearly seven months, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi was in contact with the stranded sailors, their employer and the shipping company's agent to resolve the matter, which primarily involved a commercial dispute.
The six crew members have reportedly been stranded since April 17, 2026, after their vessel became caught in a dispute involving its shipping company and Karachi port authorities.
"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," Jaiswal said.
He added that the government was engaging with all parties to facilitate a resolution.
"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," the spokesperson said.
๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐น
According to the family of chief officer Vineet Kishore Mishra, a Merchant Navy officer from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, the six Indian seafarers have remained aboard the vessel since it arrived in Karachi on April 17.
Mishra had joined Iran-based KEVER Shipping Company on February 25 and subsequently travelled aboard one of its vessels from Oman to Karachi.
His family alleged that the ship became embroiled in a dispute between the shipping company and Karachi port authorities after reaching Pakistan.
What began as a commercial disagreement subsequently left the Indian crew unable to leave the vessel or return home.
Relatives claimed that the sailors' passports had been seized and the vessel's electricity supply disconnected, making their living conditions increasingly difficult.
They also alleged that communication with the stranded crew had become severely restricted, with family members sometimes able to speak to them only once in approximately 15 days.
Mishra's family said his employment contract had expired, but he remained unable to formally sign off from the vessel.
๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ ๐ด๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
The families of the stranded sailors have appealed to the Indian government to secure their safe return, saying the crew members have been left in uncertainty for months.
Mishra's relatives said they had approached the Indian diplomatic mission in Pakistan and sought assistance from the MEA.
They also contacted the Prime Minister, President and elected representatives, including their local MLA and MP, requesting intervention.
Although the families said they had received assurances that the matter was being examined, the sailors remained aboard the vessel without a confirmed date for their return.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ
Explaining the complications, Jaiswal said seafarers could not simply abandon a vessel while it remained in port, as a replacement crew had to be arranged before the existing crew members could formally leave.
The requirement has become a central obstacle to resolving the prolonged situation.
The MEA maintained that it was continuing discussions with the shipping company, its agent and the stranded sailors while pursuing the matter with Pakistani authorities through consular channels.
However, no timeline has been announced for the crew members' return to India.