Indian Crew Of Oil Tanker Seized By Iran Kept In Tiny Room Without Proper Food & Water

Family members of the 16 Indian Seafarers held in Iran since November expressed their worries and sadness about the living conditions of the crew, said to be confined in a small room without proper food and drinking water.

Their phones and laptops were also snatched from them, though they have been given one phone to maintain contact with their families.

Families are also concerned about their release, especially since the political situation in Iran remains tense, with continuing protests for regime change and a crippling law and order situation, not to forget the possibility of a U.S attack.

A relative of a crew member told the BBC that food and fuel were supplied to the detained seafarers a week ago and are now almost over, including potable drinking water.

The person also said that the ship’s generators stopped working, leading to issues with waste disposal and cleaning, leading to blocked toilets and unsanitary living conditions.

Families have now appealed to the Delhi High Court and urged the government to secure consular access and ensure they return safely.

Iranian authorities captured the oil tanker, MT Valiant Roar, on December 8, 2025, while it was in international waters.

They stated the vessel was seized as it was carrying 6000 metric tonnes of illegal diesel, though the company has denied this allegation.

Per India’s Foreign Ministry, 10 of the Indian crew members have been taken to an Iranian Jail, the Bandar Abbas Prison.

The other crew members, including one person from Bangladesh and another from Sri Lanka, remain onboard the vessel.

Though Iran had allowed for consular access to the arrested seafarers on January 10, 2025, it could not happen at that time, due to the prevailing situation in Iran.

Iran has not responded to these allegations.

Jugwinder Brar, owner of Prime Tankers, said that protests prevented the lawyers of the company from meeting the crew members.

He also denied the allegations of Iran, stating that the tanker was loaded with Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), used to refuel the company’s other vessels in international waters, which was a standard practice, he told the BBC.

He added that Tehran had wrongfully captured another vessel owned by the company in 2023 on similar claims that it carried illegal cargo.

Of the vessel’s 21 crew, 18 were allowed to go after 9 months, though 3 remain in prison.

He also clarified that both vessels had valid documents for VLSFO, and the company’s priority was to ensure that crew members returned to India safely.

The company is subject to U.S sanctions, with the Treasury Department stating that many ships operate as part of Iran’s shadow fleet to transport oil.

America is an unchallenged country, and nobody questions it, so it can do whatever it wants, Brar said when asked about why his company was sanctioned.

He also said that Iran might have thought that the ship had an American or Israeli owner and hence seized it.

The tanker was seized weeks before most of the crew members were due to complete their 9-month contracts in January.

Masood Alam, one of the 10 crew, is to marry after Eid, in March. His family is worried, stating they had a short call with him on January 5, 2025, and since then, they have had no information about him.

His father told the BBC that Alam was sick when he was detained,

Gayatri Singh, wife of the tanker’s chief officer Anil Kumar Singh, accused Iran of using the crew as “human shields”, adding that cargo disputes should be settled between companies and not workers, as the former decides what cargo the ship will carry, not the crew.

She said that sending the crew to jail and exposing them to such inhumane conditions is not acceptable, a view also shared by Pradeep Singh, the general secretary of the Sailors’ Union of India.

Source: Maritime Shipping News