Rex Pereira back in India after 6 months aboard ship
Rex Pereira, a 28-year-old Indian sailor, is back in India after six tough months stuck on a ship.
He boarded the vessel last October without proper papers and spent months facing unsafe conditions, sometimes even turning seawater into drinking water because supplies ran out.
Manoj Yadav connected Pereira with authorities
Things got scarier for Rex when fighting broke out near Basra, Iraq, putting his life at risk.
With no ID and nowhere to turn, he reached out to Manoj Yadav from the Forward Seamen Union of India, who helped connect him with Indian authorities.
Thanks to the Indian Embassy's efforts (and some help from local officials), Rex finally got his passport back and landed home on April 5.
Three other Indian crew members are still waiting for rescue.
This whole ordeal highlights just how risky seafaring jobs can be and why better protections are needed for workers like Rex.