Himachal merchant navy officer, detained from Russian tanker by US forces, was due home for February wedding

A handout image of the ship Marinera (Ex-Bella 1) seen in the distance. (Courtesy: Reuters photo)

• Merchant Navy officer from Himachal detained by US forces on seized oil tanker
• Family urges PM Modi to ensure officer's safe return before February wedding
• Three Indians among crew; vessel intercepted while carrying Venezuelan crude oil

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A Merchant Navy officer from Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district, who was among the three Indians on board the Russian-flagged Venezuelan-linked oil tanker which was seized last week, has been detained by the US forces.

Rakshit Chauhan - who joined the merchant navy on August 1, 2025 - was preparing to return home for his wedding next month when the oil tanker he was serving on as a crew member was intercepted by the US authorities on January 7. He was on his first sea assignment aboard Marinera (previously known as Bella 1).

With the 26-year-old now stuck in a foreign land just a month before his big day, his family has reached out to PM Narendra Modi for his safe and quicky return to India. There is no clarity yet over when he would get to return home.

The Chauhan family said the last time they spoke to the newly-recruited merchant navy officer was last week, hours before the vessel was seized by US forces on January 7 after a long chase. "We talked to Rakshit for the last time on January 7 and are praying to God for his safe return before that date," his mother Reeta Devi told reporters in Palampur.

"Please ensure the safe return of my son, Rakshit," she appealed to the Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The distraught mother added that her son's marriage is scheduled for February 19 and the family is praying he is back home before that.

"We appeal to the PM and the External Affairs Minister to ensure the safe return of Rakshit as well as two others from Goa and Kerala who are also crew members of the same vessel," she added.

Apart from the three Indians, there are 17 Ukrainian citizens, six Georgian citizens and two Russian citizens stuck on the oil tanker. The tanker was carrying Venezuelan-linked crude oil and was travelling to Russia when it was chased and intercepted by US forces.

According to a report in NDTV, Rakshit informed his father Ranjit Singh that he was well but mentioned further contact would be difficult. "During our last conversation, Rakshit had said that he was well but indicated that further contact would be unlikely for some time. He said that due to America's military action against Venezuela, the company had instructed them to return from Venezuela. We learnt on January 10 that our son's ship had been seized," it said quoting Singh.

Meanwhile, Palampur MLA Ashish Butail has sought details of Rakshit and assured that he would go to Shimla and take up the matter with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.