Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 1 (ANI): The Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI) on Friday urged the Union Government to intensify efforts to bring back Indian seafarers stranded in the West Asia region, which was in the middle of a major conflict between US-Israeli coalition forces and Iran, even as a fresh batch of returnees reached Mumbai after enduring weeks of hardship.

According to FSUI General Secretary Manoj Kumar Yadav, Indian seafarers stuck in Iran and nearby regions have been returning in phases, with many undertaking difficult routes via Armenia.

'For the last few days, Indian seafarers stuck there have been returning continuously, with many coming via Armenia. Today, three seamen who travelled from Bandar Abbas to Armenia and then reached Mumbai have arrived. They left on April 12 and reached Mumbai this morning. Their situation was very serious,' Yadav said.

He alleged that the seafarers faced exploitation and financial distress during their ordeal.

'They faced constant deception and had to stay in hotels for weeks due to a lack of money while waiting for tickets and visas. After working for six months, they are only receiving a salary of USD 600. Despite this, they were expected to arrange their own travel,' he added.

Raising concerns over the government's response, Yadav said that while attention has been given to Indian vessels, thousands of Indians working on foreign ships remain overlooked.

'Since the day the war began, the Indian government has emphasised Indian ships and the Indian seafarers on those ships. But regarding the approximately 23,000 Indian seafarers working on foreign ships, there has not been a concrete statement,' he said.

He also questioned official figures on stranded seafarers and called for clearer distinction between repatriation and routine crew changes.

'The statement issued by the Ministry two days ago, saying 19,500 Indian seafarers are still stuck, I believe, is not entirely true; there are still around 20,000 to 22,000 people stuck there whose return path hasn't even begun. As for the seafarers the government mentioned were repatriated, many of them underwent crew rotation, where a new set of crew relieved them,' Yadav said.

'Repatriation, evacuation, and regular sign-off are three different things, and I believe the government needs to consider this more seriously,' he added.

Calling for stronger intervention, Yadav stressed that evacuation during conflict situations should be the government's responsibility.

'In a war-like situation, if Indian citizens are stranded abroad, the responsibility to bring them back lies with the government. It is wrong to expect them to pay for tickets and accommodation while claiming they have been repatriated,' the FSUI General Secretary said.

Among those who returned, seafarers recounted harrowing experiences of being stranded in Iran amid escalating tensions and limited communication.

Ravi, a seafarer from Haryana, said they were initially unaware of the situation due to internet shutdowns, adding that their request to leave the ship was denied despite the unfolding situation.

'We were stuck in Iran and didn't even know a war was going on because there was no internet. One day, I saw missiles passing overhead, and we were told war had started. They used to scare us, saying the ship wouldn't go anywhere,' he said.

'We told the captain we wanted to sign off, but he refused, saying there were no flights. We were stuck for a month. Eventually, we decided saving our lives was more important. Many are still stuck because they are not being allowed to leave,' Ravi added.

Another seafarer, Anant Singh Chauhan from Uttar Pradesh, described the situation as life-threatening.

'The situation was so bad that we barely escaped. Missiles were falling frequently, and it was impossible to sleep. All the other crew members left, and only we three Indians remained,' he said.

He also urged action against alleged exploitation.

'We request the government to take action against such companies and compensate us for our losses,' Chauhan added.

The FSUI has reiterated its demand for urgent government intervention to ensure safe evacuation and better protection for Indian seafarers working in conflict zones.

On Thursday, during an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said that it is closely monitoring the maritime situation in the Persian Gulf and is taking steps to ensure the safety of Indian vessels and seafarers in the region.

The Ministry said it is coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions abroad, and other maritime stakeholders to safeguard seafarer welfare and maintain uninterrupted maritime operations.

According to the official update, all Indian seafarers in the region are safe, and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours.

The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) Control Room, set up to assist seafarers, has handled 8,155 calls and over 17,399 emails since its activation. In the last 24 hours alone, it received 121 calls and 285 emails.

The Ministry further said that more than 2,857 Indian seafarers have been safely repatriated so far from various locations across the Gulf region, including 28 in the past 24 hours.

It also noted that port operations across India remain normal, with no congestion reported. (ANI)