Sonipat Merchant Navy Sailor Returns Home Safely After Being Stranded In Iran Amid War
During this period, Nikhil witnessed bombs and missiles landing in close proximity to the vessel.
Published : April 14, 2026 at 6:54 PM IST
Sonipat: A Merchant Navy sailor from Haryana's Sonipat district has returned home safely after being stranded in Iran for nearly a month amid escalating tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
Nikhil, a resident of Shahpur village in the Ganaur area of Sonipat, was en route to Oman when the conflict erupted. As his vessel reached Iran, hostilities intensified and his ship was stranded. He was stuck onboard for about 20 days along with his 15 crew members.
During this period, Nikhil witnessed bombs and missiles landing in close proximity to the vessel. "A missile fell barely 30 metres from our ship. It was a terrifying experience, and we were unsure if we would make it back home alive," he said.
The impact, he shared, shattered the ship’s windows. Due to the absence of mobile network connectivity, he was unable to contact his family for nearly three weeks.
After about 20 days he managed to leave the ship and reached Tehran, where he met a man from Haridwar, who helped him connect with Indian Embassy. Nikhil shared that the embassy officials arranged transportation for him. After verification of documents, he was evacuated by road to Azerbaijan and subsequently to Armenia. Three days later, he was flown back to India.
Nikhil joined Merchant Navy in Mumbai after completing the course in Haryana's Gurugram.
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