Image for representation purposes only Thirteen sailors stranded on board the cargo ship MV Pascal near Iran’s Bandar Abbas Port have described their ordeal as they request authorities to rescue them from the difficult conditions. The crew members have reportedly been facing a shortage of food and water. They are also living in darkness since the ship’s main engine developed an issue, and there was a power cut. They are surviving on just one meagre meal a day, consisting of some rice mixed with lentils, which is shared among all and just two bottles of water once every 3 days. Many have developed skin infections since they have not bathed for nearly a month. They also sent a video to their families, urging them to contact the government so they can return home. Nine among them are from India. In the viral video, trainee wiper Somaraju said they haven’t had a proper meal for the past 6 months and are living in difficult conditions as the ship is undergoing repairs. He added that they are frightened by the constant sounds of blasts and bombings in the region. “We hear blasts very often and are scared. We urge the authorities to rescue us and help us reunite with our families,” he said. Somaraju reportedly paid INR 5 Lakh to an agent in Mumbai to get his job and joined the ship a year ago. Though his contract ended after 6 months, he remained on the vessel for almost a year since his joining on June 21, 2025. There is no possibility for the crew to return to India as the ship is under repair, and neither the ship agent in Mumbai nor the shipowner in Dubai has responded to their grievances. Somaraju’s parents, Appanna, a priest from a fishermen community, and Appamma, have appealed to Union minister K Rammohan Naidu and Nellimarla MLA Lokam Madhavi to rescue the stranded seafarers. They also said that their son did not receive his salary, adding that the state and central governments have responded positively to their pleas.