A group of Indian sailors recount their harrowing experience of being detained in Iran on suspicion of smuggling, and their subsequent escape from the country as regional tensions escalated into open conflict.
Saravanan, the Army man who hails from Vellore in Tamil Nadu, obtained India's first quota in sailing for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
'After we were alerted about the war, none of us could sleep for the next two nights while sailing through those waters.'
Following the death of Iranian sailors in the Indian Ocean, Iran's navy has threatened 'deadly retaliation,' accusing the US of attacking its warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, escalating tensions in the region.
An Indian crew member was killed after a US-owned oil tanker was attacked near Basra, Iraq. Fifteen other Indian crew members were evacuated.
An Indian national has been killed in Kuwait following Iranian strikes on a power and water desalination plant, bringing the total number of Indian fatalities in the West Asia conflict to eight.
Eighteen Indian sailors, who were stranded in violence-hit Yemen, have been brought back to India.
An Indian national was killed in a missile attack on Riyadh, bringing the total number of Indian fatalities in the West Asia conflict to six. The Indian embassy in Riyadh has expressed condolences and is providing assistance to the family.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reports that over 1,150 Indian nationals have been evacuated from Iran through land borders into Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict. The MEA also confirmed that three Indians were injured in attacks in the UAE.
The Sri Lanka Navy rescued 32 Iranian sailors from a sinking naval ship off the southern coast, while also recovering several bodies. The incident occurred outside Sri Lankan waters but within its search and rescue zone.
The family of a Rajasthani sailor, Dalip Singh, is gripped by anxiety after he went missing following an attack on an oil tanker near Oman. The search continues as the family clings to hope amidst the escalating West Asia crisis.
Two more Indian-flagged LPG tankers have begun their journey from the Persian Gulf, navigating the Strait of Hormuz amidst regional conflict, following disruptions caused by recent tensions in the Middle East.
'We are getting used to the constant alerts to take shelter, listening to sonic booms from jets flying above us, hearing news of neighbouring ports being targeted, and being the only ship in the terminal.'
Major General Amir Hatami, commander-in-chief of the Iranian Army, condemned the attack on the vessel, one of the country's newest warships, which occurred while it was returning from a military exercise.
The chairman of maritime company Safesea Group has described the attack on the US-owned crude oil tanker Safesea Vishnu, which resulted in the death of an Indian crew member, as "deliberate and calculated". He emphasised the need for governments to ensure the safety of commercial shipping lanes and seafarers.
The Indian mission in Ukraine on Tuesday said it has evacuated 52 out of the 75 Indian sailors stranded at the Port of Mykolaiv in the war-hit nation.
US Special Representative Sergio Gor met with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and Sri Lanka's stance on the Middle East crisis. The visit occurs amidst regional tensions and US efforts to secure trade routes in the Indo-Pacific.
Another Indian, Vishnu Saravanan was at 23rd position overall out of 35 sailors in the laser event, while Nethra Kumanan was placed 31st with 176 net points out of 44 sailors.
It is for the first time that a senior minister has said that Iran requested permission for docking three of its ships in Indian ports.
Dozens of Indian-flagged ships and over a thousand seafarers are stranded in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and surrounding areas due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amidst ongoing military actions involving the US, Israel, and Iran.
In mixed multihull - nacra 17, the Indian pair of Indar Siddeshwar Doiphode and Ramya Saravanan were placed fourth after race 12 with less than a minute's gap from the leaders in a tightly contested field. Doiphode and Ramya were third after race 11.
The vessel sank on March 4, 2026, approximately 20 nautical miles west of Galle, after reportedly being struck by a torpedo from a United States submarine.
Amidst escalating regional tensions, Sri Lanka is carefully considering its response after a second Iranian ship requested entry into its waters following a reported US submarine attack on an Iranian frigate near Galle.
At least 101 people are missing and 78 are injured after a suspected submarine attack on an Iranian naval ship off Sri Lanka's southern coast on Wednesday, Reuters quoted sources in Sri Lanka's Navy and defence ministry as saying.
Amid escalating tensions, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh declares Iran's unwavering commitment to a 'heroic nationalist defence' against perceived American and Israeli aggression, vowing to resist what he calls an 'invasion' to the very end.
There were four instances of two Indian sailors qualifying for the Olympics earlier but they took part in the same event. This time in Tokyo, India will be taking part in more than one event in sailing.
Amid rising tensions, Iran threatens retaliation after the United States confirms sinking its warship, IRIS Dena, in international waters, escalating conflict in the region.
Top government sources in India have dismissed claims that the Indian Navy provided intelligence to the US regarding an Iranian frigate that was sunk by a US submarine.
The Indian government addressed opposition concerns regarding the West Asia crisis in an all-party meeting, outlining its strategy for ensuring the security of the Indian diaspora, fulfilling energy needs, and maintaining diplomatic relations with key partners. The government also dismissed Pakistan's reported mediation efforts.
'Despite the large number of missiles and drones we have already launched, we still possess reserves and missile cities whose doors have not yet been opened,' says Iran's Consul-General Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh.
Sixteen Indian sailors, who have been living on a ship in Ajman port in Dubai for the past five months without salaries, can now hope to go back home.
Malav Shroff and Sumeet Patel came up with another dismal show in the 49er (double-handed dinghy open) in the sixth race at the Olympic Games regatta.
Twenty one Indian sailors aboard the ship MV Fairchem Bogey, which was hijacked last August, have been released by the pirates, the Directorate General of Shipping said on Saturday. This is the second piece of good news for the Indian seafaring community within a fortnight. Seventeen sailors from a hijacked Iranian ship had been released late in December. "All the 21 sailors are safe and the ship is now on its way to a safe port," said Director General of Shipping.
India granted emergency docking to an Iranian ship, IRIS Lavan, in Kochi due to technical issues, accommodating its crew amidst regional naval activity and tensions.
The US torpedo attack on the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in international waters was a lawful act of war between belligerents, not a diplomatic or strategic embarrassment for India, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
The sailors were rescued by a Bahrain Coast Guard helicopter when their cargo ship Siddnath capsized on Friday morning. The boat, with 1,000-tonne capacity, was carrying 485 tonnes of rice to Iraq for the India-based company Sea Star Shipping.
'The entire US ecosystem built over decades at the bases in the Gulf region, especially the UAE, costing trillions of dollars have been decimated, dealing a mortal blow to the US Central Command's war capability,' points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Seven Indian sailors were among 14 foreigners released on Sunday from the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital of Sanaa, Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said.
We know in our heart that speaking the truth on this stupid Iran war will anger Trump and so we look the other way because if we look him in the eye the bully will straighten us out, asserts Aakar Patel.
Relatives of one of the sailors claimed that pirates had initially demanded $15 lakh and later raised it to $25 lakh for the release of the crew but it was not clear whether the ransom was paid or not.
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