Kerala family waits as Houthis keep shipwreck survivor in custody
His wife, Srija, said Anilkumar and others are confined to a hotel, with three people sharing a room.
His wife, Srija, said Anilkumar and others are confined to a hotel, with three people sharing a room.
His wife, Srija, said Anilkumar and others are confined to a hotel, with three people sharing a room.
Alappuzha: The family of Anilkumar Ravindran, a retired Indian Army Naib Subedar from Alappuzha, has been waiting for over three months for his return after he was rescued from a shipwreck in the Red Sea following a Houthi attack. Anilkumar, who was serving as an armed guard on a Greek vessel, was rescued by fishermen while adrift and taken to Sanaa. Since then, he has been under Houthi custody along with other crew members.
His wife, Srija, said Anilkumar and others are confined to a hotel, with three people sharing a room. “The Houthis keep the doors locked from outside. They provide them with meals and occasionally give them a phone to contact family before taking it back. The last time Anilkumar called me was on September 22. He tells us he is safe, and that is what keeps us relieved,” she said.
Srija added that the group cannot step out or even look outside through the windows. Initially, an English-speaking intermediary had assured them of an early release, but he stopped visiting. “Now, no one communicates with them properly. They give excuses like a celebration or a bombing for the delay. The language barrier makes it worse,” she said.
"The Indian Embassy told me that in a similar case, it had taken up to a year for the Houthis to release captives. Hence, we are trying to remain patient. I have written letters to the President, the Army, and others. I got replies saying that my request is under consideration. Currently, the Red Cross is mediating the matter as there is no Indian Embassy presence in the region,” Srija said. She added that Red Cross committee members, foreign affairs officials, and the Philippines Embassy had met officials in Sana’a in July to press for the group’s release.
According to Srija, a homemaker, the Greek shipping company has continued to pay Anilkumar’s salary every month. “We are able to manage with that. But when our relatives ask about his return, I don’t know what to say,” she said.
Thiruvananthapuram native Augustin was the only other Malayali crew member aboard the Greek ship. He was rescued by another vessel that responded to the distress calls and has since returned home.