Himachal merchant navy officer detained on Russian-flagged oil tanker a month before wedding, family seeks PM’s help

Twenty-six-year-old Rikshit Chauhan was among three Indian nationals serving aboard the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera when the vessel was seized by United States forces in the North Atlantic on January 7, according to family members and local officials.

The family has since made a heartfelt appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other government leaders to secure his safe return home before his February wedding date.

Pursuit and seizure of Marinera

The Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, was intercepted by US authorities after an extended maritime pursuit that reportedly began in the Caribbean Sea and continued into the North Atlantic.

US forces, including the Coast Guard, boarded and took control of the vessel amid enforcement of sanctions related to Venezuela, Reuters and other news outlets reported.

At the time of the seizure, the tanker’s crew included 28 members from several countries, including three Indians, 20 Ukrainians, six Georgians and two Russians.

While the two Russian crew members were released on Sunday, the remaining personnel remain under detention, local reports said.

Family’s plea to government

Chauhan’s family said they last spoke with him on January 7, hours before contact was lost during the vessel’s interception.

His mother, Reeta Devi, described her son’s planned return home for his February 19 wedding and appealed directly to Prime Minister Modi to intervene.

“Please ensure the safe return of my son, Rikshit,” she said in Palampur, expressing deep concern for his well-being.

His father, Ranjit Singh, said the family first learned of the tanker’s seizure on January 10, following initial silence in communication.

Chauhan had joined the merchant navy on August 1, 2025, and was assigned by his Russian employer to join the ship’s crew on its oil procurement mission in Venezuela before problems at sea emerged.

Local and diplomatic reaction

The situation has drawn attention from local and national figures.

The Palampur MLA has pledged to raise the matter with the Himachal Pradesh chief minister, while India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it was closely monitoring developments and working to ascertain details about Indian nationals aboard the seized tanker.

The diplomatic backdrop to the seizure is complex. Russia has condemned the US action, calling it illegal under international maritime law and demanding humane treatment and repatriation of its nationals.

Meanwhile, US authorities have justified the interdiction as part of broader efforts to enforce sanctions and prevent illicit oil transfers linked to Venezuela.

Personal impact of a global incident

For the Chauhan family, the global geopolitics of maritime sanctions have become deeply personal.

They continue to appeal to Indian leadership for help as they wait anxiously for news.

The timing — with a wedding imminent — has heightened their distress and underscored the human cost of international disputes at sea.

As diplomatic efforts unfold, the future of Chauhan and his crewmates remains uncertain, even as authorities in New Delhi and abroad work to secure their safe and swift release.