A woman from Kerala, Antessa Joseph, is among the 17 Indian nationals onboard an Israeli-linked cargo ship seized by Iran in the Gulf region, her family has revealed. Ms. Joseph's name was initially omitted from a letter by the Kerala Chief Minister to the External Affairs Ministry, causing her family significant distress.
Officials in the Chief Minister's Office have acknowledged there was initially no information about Ms. Joseph's presence on the ship. Upon learning of the situation, the matter was escalated to the Central government. The Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) has been instructed to take necessary steps.
Ms. Joseph's father expressed deep anguish at the omission of his daughter's name from official communications, stating it affected him "mentally and emotionally." He noted that news reports initially mentioned only three Malayalees onboard. The family, hailing from Thrissur, has yet to receive updates from either state or Central governments on Ms. Joseph's status. Her father's only source of reassurance has been the ship's owning company, who confirmed her safety.
The father shared that his last conversation with his daughter was on Friday, and subsequent attempts to reach her were unsuccessful. It was the shipping company that informed him of the ship's seizure.
Iran has indicated that Indian officials will "soon" be granted access to the 17 Indian crew members. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had previously appealed to the External Affairs Ministry on Sunday to secure the safe return of the Indian nationals, including three from Kerala.
The ship, MSC Aries, was seized by Iran's Revolutionary Guards near the Strait of Hormuz on April 13th. Initial reports confirmed three crew members – Sumesh, PV Dhanesh, and Syamnath – as being from Kerala. The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is working with authorities to ensure the crew's well-being and the ship's release.
