MUMBAI: After spending 10 turbulent days at Mykolaiv port in war-torn Ukraine, 74 Indian seafarers accompanied by two Lebanese and three Syrian nationals were rescued on Monday. The seafarers were taken out of the port in two buses and travelled 200km to the Moldova border, from where the embassy and others took their safe custody. The operation succeeded after Russia announced a third attempt at creating humanitarian corridors in Ukraine.
Of the Indian seafarers, 21 had been hired by the Mumbai-based VR Maritime Services and had joined the Marshalls Island cargo vessels that were stuck at the port since February 24.
“The situation had worsened at the port with complete blackout and we could hear the shelling and the entire effect was observed in the water with the vessel shaking due to the impact,” Captain Raza Naqvi, who is from Lucknow, said in a conference call on Monday. Russian forces had resumed their attack on Mykolaiv, a vital transit point on the Black Sea coast, on Monday morning, after having been driven back from the city limits by Ukrainian troops.
“We were asked not to step out of the bus nor peep out. Once there was a tyre burst, but there was no untoward incident. There were at least 20 checks carried out by the security personnel till we reached the border, which took over eight hours. I am happy all the Indian seafarers are safe,” Naqvi said.