The lone woman crew member from Kerala, who was among the seventeen Indians on board the Israeli affected containership by Iran’s military near the Strait of Hormuz, in the Gulf of Oman returned home on April 18, 2024.
In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said “With the concerted efforts of the Indian mission in Tehran and the Iranian government, Indian deck cadet Ann Tessa Joseph from Kerela’s Thrissur, who was among the Indian crew members of the container vessel MSC Aries has landed safely at the Cochin International Airport on the afternoon of April 18, 2024.” She was warmly received by the Regional Passport Officer at the Airport.
“I have to thank many people. Firstly, I had such an early release because of the direct interference of the MEA. Not just them, so many people who I don’t know personally worked for this. I want to thank them all,” Joseph said in a statement released on April 19, 2024.
She also said while she didn’t expect such an incident, her temporary captors treated her and the crew well, allowing them to eat and drink regularly and didn’t harm them in any way.
“I never expected such an incident to take place. I knew the war was going on, but didn’t expect this. Even though they seized the ship, they treated the crew very well. There was no issue of food, we could cook it in the mess. But we had to eat and go back to our cabins. They did not harm us.”
“They had no intention to harm the crew. There were four Keralites including me. Now 16 Indians are left there. When they spoke to the consulate yesterday, they were informed that there will be an early release. The center is trying very hard to ensure this,” she said.
“The Indian Mission in Tehran remains seized of the matter and is touch with the remaining crew members of the container vessel,” the ministry said, adding that the crew members were in good health and in contact with family members in India. The Indian mission is also in touch with Iranian authorities in ensuring the well-being remaining crew members of MSC Aries,” it said.
After Joseph landed in India the EAM S Jaishankar said, “Great Work, Indian mission in Iran Glad that Ann Tessa Joseph has reached home, Modi ki Guarantee always delivers, at home or abroad.”
On April 13, 2024, Iranian commandoes seized an Israeli affiliated containership carrying 17 Indian crew members, the latest escalation in West Asia spiraling tensions which new Delhi has now found itself caught up in. Following the development, the External Affairs Minister of India, Subramaniam Jaishankar had spoken to his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollah on the matter.
Earlier the family of the woman had said in a video shown on TV Channels that she was also among the crew of the ship, but there was no mention of her in the Kerala Chief Minister letter to the MEA. Subsequently, in the Chief Ministers office, an official initially said there was no information about the presence of the woman. When they came to know about it, the matter was taken up with the Central government.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on April 14 had sought the intervention of the MEA seeking the safe return of Indian nationals including three from the state who are onboard a seized Israel linked cargo ship in the Gulf Region. As per reports, three among the crew namely Sumesh, PV Dhanesh and Syamnath were confined to be the natives of Kerala.
