Palwal sailor among 11 missing after Tauktae

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Palwal, May 25

Thirty-year-old Vicky Kundu, hailing from Allika in Palwal, is among 11 sailors of a Merchant Navy ship that went missingin the Arabian sea following the devastating cyclone Tauktae nine days ago.

The incident has left the family in shock, though their hope is not lost. The family has written to the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers of Haryana and Maharashtra seeking help in tracing Vicky and his fellow sailors.

His father Bhup Lal revealed that Vicky had contacted his wife Pooja on May 16 night and told her that his ship, which was approaching Mumbai, got stuck due to a storm and the crew members were trying to dock it to nearest point. He said there had been no information about his or the ship’s whereabouts, though unfiltered reports claim the ship got drowned and the crew was missing.

Vicky had joined as a sailor three years ago after completing his studies and a course related to shipping. He had joined his latest job with one Gallery Shipping Management Company in September last year and had been sailing since then on a cargo ship named Dug Galori.

Pooja said said a company official recently called to inform the family that the ship had drowned and all 11 crew members were missing. She said the ship had left Sri Lanka and was to reach Mumbai port on September 17. The couple got married in 2016 and has a three-year-old son.