Andhra mariner held in Iran for 9 months even as crew freed; Family urges swift government action

In a desperate plea for help, the elderly parents and wife of 34-year-old mariner Pativada Venkata Rao, who has been detained in Iran since July 2024, have sought assistance from local MP and Union Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, as well as Vizianagaram MP Kalisetti Appala Naidu.

Rao, the captain of the Togo-flagged, UAE-managed tanker Betelgeuse, was detained along with 12 other crew members after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intercepted their vessel off the coast of Bushehr. While all other crew members were released four months later, Rao remains in custody.

As reported by TOI, Rao's wife, Swati, who married him in August 2023, has claimed that her husband was falsely accused by Iranian authorities. "Despite our repeated efforts to seek assistance from the ship's management, we have not been able to secure his release. We are deeply concerned for his safety and well-being. Our baby girl hasn't even seen her father yet," she said.

Swati, who was three months pregnant when Rao left Srikakulam in January 2024, gave birth to their daughter seven months ago. However, Iranian authorities have only allowed Rao to speak to his family for just two minutes a day. His brother also revealed that Iranian authorities had imposed a $2 million fine on the ship, which had changed ownership in June 2023, on August 18, 2023.

"My brother received his salary until September 2024. We have appealed to K Rammohan Naidu to help ensure that my brother gets a fair chance at justice and eventual release," Rao's brother added.

Unfortunately, neither the previous ship management nor the new owner has responded to communications from Iranian authorities, leaving the family in a desperate situation.

Inputs from TOI