Strait of Hormuz blockade traps Indian sailors amid missile strikes
Indian sailors found themselves stuck in the Strait of Hormuz after a blockade froze nearly 2,000 ships on a major oil and gas route.
For more than a month, Tithi Chiranjeevi and others faced nightly missile strikes, food shortages, and total isolation, Chiranjeevi shared, "Around 10 to 20 missiles struck every night. No one could sleep," as "10 to 20 missiles fell every night."
India evacuates nearly 3,000 sailors
India managed to evacuate nearly 3,000 stranded sailors, including Chiranjeevi and his colleague Anant Singh Chauhan.
Many returned home safe but financially drained after paying hefty recruitment fees for jobs that left them in debt.
As Chauhan put it after finally reaching Mumbai, "It is like a rebirth for us."
The crisis has spotlighted just how vulnerable sailors can be during conflicts, and why stronger support systems matter.