Bhubaneswar: Wife of a seafarer from CDA-Sector-6 in Odisha’s Cuttack, who remains stranded on an LPG carrier anchored near Qatar’s Ras Laffan port amid escalating conflict in West Asia, has appealed to both state and central governments for urgent intervention to secure his safe return.
Ashok Kumar Dixit, serving as chief officer on the vessel, departed for Qatar in November last year to transport an LPG shipment bound for India. He was scheduled to return home by March 10, but the ship, loaded with 48,000 metric tonnes of LPG, has been stuck at the Ras Laffan anchorage, about 12 nautical miles from the coast, since February 28 when US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which subsequently led to an effective disruption of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We are extremely worried as missiles are constantly being fired. iI has already been 21 days since the war began and they are running short of food and water supplies,” said his wife, Smruti Rekha Sahoo, urging government authorities to take immediate steps to bring him back safely.
In a video message, Dixit shared that he was 12 nautical miles from the port. “We are witnessing live missile strikes, which recently struck the LNG terminal at Qatar and the debris of which fell on nearby ships. There has been no movement in the last 7-8 days since two LPG vessels operated by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) were escorted through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, adding that around 20-22 more LPG carriers, including his own, remain stranded.
Dixit questioned why these ships continue to be stuck if the passage is truly unrestricted, emphasising the need for accurate public information about the dangers faced by mariners. “In the wake of Israel’s targeted killings of two senior military commanders, Iran has intensified its attacks and issued stern warnings to vessels against anchoring or transiting the Strait of Hormuz area,” he said, seeking clarity on India’s position on the issue.
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