'Missiles Were Falling Around Us': Indian Sailors Detained By Iranian Authorities Return Home

Last Updated:March 30, 2026, 14:11 IST

MT Valiant Roar crew recount detention by Iranian authorities, diesel smuggling allegations, missile strikes and a risky Armenia escape before returning to India.

After spending nearly three months trapped in Iran’s conflict-hit region, the crew of the UAE-based tanker MT Valiant Roar is finally back in India. They are shaken, exhausted and relieved to have survived an ordeal they believe they should have never faced.

The Indian sailors were detained by Iranian authorities in December last year on allegations of diesel smuggling and were only cleared in February, a day before the situation on the ground worsened dramatically.

The crew, Captain Vijay Kumar, 3rd Officer Venkat Rao, and Oiler Masood Alam maintained that they were innocent and repeatedly said the vessel carried only 6,000 MT of Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), and not 6,000 metric tonnes of diesel as alleged. Their ordeal began on December 8, when their Aruba-flagged vessel slowed down in international waters due to a generator failure.

Explaining how everything unfolded, Captain Kumar said, “There was a generator problem, we were repairing it. When we came out, the Iranian authorities stopped us. We were in international waters, and we were targeted."

He alleged that armed personnel boarded the vessel, isolated the crew, and provided no explanation for the detention. According to him, they were pressured to sign documents claiming they were inside Iranian territorial waters, a claim he said the ship’s GPS did not support. The crew was then taken to a port and kept there for nearly two weeks as shifting accusations emerged, including claims of diesel smuggling and even the presence of USD 60 million on board. He said repeated inspections found no such cargo.

The situation worsened in early January when half the crew taken for statements did not return. Kumar said they later learned from the Indian Embassy that those sailors had been jailed. Despite additional sampling and checks, he alleged that no clear report was ever shared with the crew. A lawyer who examined their case suggested that it appeared political in nature, prompting a petition in the Delhi High Court.

In February, eight crew members were released first and by February 26–27, the remaining sailors, along with the vessel, were finally cleared. But even after their release, they remained stranded as the ship’s GPS had been tampered with and the vessel could not be operated. The ship was positioned close to a naval base, and within days, the region plunged into conflict.

Describing the initial days of the war, Kumar recalled, “Missiles were falling around us. When it first happened, we couldn’t figure out what was happening, we couldn’t sleep, we couldn’t rest, and we couldn’t eat. We even saw one (missile) passing above the ship."

As the conflict intensified, the crew requested evacuation. The Indian Embassy secured permission in February, after which the sailors were moved to a hotel where they remained for nearly 25 days. Without access to their belongings, all of which had been taken by authorities, they struggled financially also.

When evacuation became possible only via Armenia, they had to arrange USD 3,000 for a taxi willing to make the 1,800-km journey through areas experiencing continuous bombings. After reaching near the Armenian border, they waited two days for their visas before finally exiting Iran.

Throughout the ordeal, families back home were also battling fear, confusion, and stigma. Kumar said his daughter had been distraught after reading online allegations of smuggling against him and that the situation had deeply affected his family’s dignity. He stressed that crew members worldwide often become the easiest targets during politically sensitive situations.

Appealing to Indian maritime authorities, he urged that systems must be strengthened to protect seafarers who are only doing their jobs. He says, “The crew goes on board only for livelihood. They are not the cargo. Operators should be held accountable, not innocent sailors."

Even as they recover from the trauma of arrests, war, sleepless nights and a desperate escape across borders, the sailors say they are simply grateful to be home, back in their country, alive, safe, and able to share what really happened.

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