Search on for Uttarakhand sailor who vanished from cargo ship bound for China

A 22-year-old sailor from Dehradun, Uttarakhand, has gone missing from a merchant ship that was travelling from Iraq to China via Sri Lanka. The young cadet, identified as Karandeep Singh Rana, disappeared on September 20, leaving his family in deep distress. The incident has raised serious questions about safety and communication standards on merchant vessels.

The incident at sea

According to his father, Narendra Singh Rana, Karandeep was working as a deck cadet on an oil tanker managed by the Executive Ship Management company. The vessel began its journey from Iraq and was heading to China through Sri Lankan waters when the incident occurred. On the evening of September 20, the company’s Mumbai office informed the family that Karandeep had gone missing from the ship and could not be located despite an extensive search operation.

The news shocked the family as they had spoken to Karandeep just a few hours earlier that same day. “He sounded perfectly fine when we talked that afternoon,” said his father. “There was no sign of any problem. We never imagined that something like this could happen.”

The family was told that Karandeep had gone to the deck alone and did not return. After repeated attempts to contact the ship officials, they were informed that search efforts had been carried out onboard but there was no trace of him. The exact location of the ship when he disappeared was said to be off the coast of Sri Lanka, but no clear details were given to the family about how the search was conducted or whether the local authorities had been involved.

Karandeep had left India on August 18, flying to Singapore to join the oil tanker. This was one of his first professional assignments after training, and he was working towards becoming a Third Officer, a higher rank in the merchant navy. His disappearance has left his parents devastated, and they are now pleading with the government to help locate him.

Family seeks urgent government help

Since receiving the news, the family has reached out to several authorities for assistance. Narendra said he has written to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and other officials seeking urgent intervention. “We have also registered our plea on the Chief Minister’s online portal,” he added. “We are only asking that the government take up this matter seriously and help us find our son.”

Narendra met Chief Minister Dhami in Dehradun on Saturday to personally request his support. The Chief Minister assured the family that the state government would contact the concerned agencies and provide all possible help.

Karandeep’s disappearance has drawn sympathy from across the state, as many young people from Uttarakhand serve in the Indian Navy and the merchant navy. Friends and relatives of the family have joined in demanding a detailed inquiry from the company and the shipping authorities.

Narendra said that despite their repeated questions, the company has only provided limited information. “They keep saying the same thing — that he went missing from the deck. We don’t know how that can happen without anyone noticing,” he said. “We want to know what really happened to our son.”

The family has also requested the Indian embassy and consulate officials in Sri Lanka to coordinate with the local coast guard and maritime authorities for any possible search operation in the waters. So far, there has been no official confirmation of a joint search by Indian or Sri Lankan agencies.

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Hopes remain alive

Karandeep’s family describes him as a bright and disciplined young man who was passionate about his career at sea. “He always dreamed of joining the Merchant Navy,” said his father. “He worked very hard for it, and he was so proud when he finally got the opportunity.”

His disappearance has deeply affected the community in Patel Nagar, Dehradun, where the family lives. Neighbours and friends have been visiting the family’s home daily to offer prayers and moral support. Many of them are urging the authorities to step up their efforts and bring clarity to the situation.

Narendra, who works in a private company, said the uncertainty has been unbearable. “Every day we wake up hoping for some news. We just want to know where he is — whether he’s safe or not. Not knowing is the hardest part,” he said emotionally.

The case also highlights the emotional and psychological strain faced by families of sailors who work on long international voyages. With limited communication and unpredictable working conditions, families often rely entirely on updates from shipping companies. When something goes wrong, they are left with little information and even fewer ways to seek help.

Officials from the Merchant Navy Association have also called for stricter safety measures and transparent investigations in such cases. They stressed that whenever a crew member goes missing, both the company and international maritime authorities must conduct a thorough inquiry and share findings with the family.