. KOLLAM: A maritime trainee from Chandanathope in Kerala’s Kollam is stranded on an Iranian cargo vessel mid-sea off Sharjah coast for nearly a month. His family is worried that he is suffering. Akhimon M, 21, had joined Iran-based cargo vessel Queen Star and travelled to the country on April 14 last year. After completing training at International Maritime Academy in Chennai, he secured placement through a Jaipur-based recruitment agency. His mother Rameeha Madhu told TOI that the family last spoke to him four days ago. “They have not been providing proper food or salary to my son. He said he is struggling. He is our only son and we’re helpless,” she said. The family has approached the shipowner and sought intervention of Kollam MP, N K Premachandran. The MP told TOI: “I have taken up the matter with the Indian embassy in Iran… it is difficult to say when he would be able to return but he is reported to be safe.”About the AuthorRahul.R.Rahul R is a Senior Reporter with the Times of India, Thiruvananthapuram bureau. He covers the Kerala Water Authority, environment, crime, and civic and general issues in the state capital. He began his journalism career with The New Indian Express in Kerala, where he independently handled the Kollam district as a single-person bureau, reporting across beats and breaking key local stories. His core interest lies in investigative reporting and in digging deep into institutional processes to connect the dots behind complex events. In his free time, he enjoys reading, writing short stories, and listening to music.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia Holds Off On US Trade Deal Signing As Washington Resets Global Tariff ArchitectureInternet Calls Bibi’s Cafe Video ‘Deepfake’, Israel Says PM Alive; ‘Free Palestine’ Echoes At OscarsIran Seeks Return Of 3 Tankers Seized By India In Return For Hormuz Safe Passage: ReportThree Indian Navy Destroyers Quietly Secure Oil Tankers Passage Through Volatile HormuzAnother Pinaka Regiment Becomes Operational, Three More By 2027: ReportsLPG Tanker ‘Shivalik’ Reaches India After Crossing Strait Of Hormuz, Docks At Gujarat’s Mundra PortMEA Confirms Safe Exit Of 600+ Indians From Iran Via Armenia, Azerbaijan Amid West Asia ConflictCentre Urges LPG Users To Shift To PNG While Assuring Uninterrupted Fuel Supply NationwideIndian Ship Shivalik Nears Mumbai While Nanda Devi And Jag Laadki Carrying Fuel Safely Past HormuzAnant Singh Declares He Will Quit Politics If Nitish Kumar Steps Down As Bihar CM123Photostories5 high-protein smoothies for Sehri to keep you energised all dayExclusive – The 50’s Sidharth Bharadwaj gets emotional remembering his difficult phase abroad; says ‘When my show, Aafat, was released, Main 7-Eleven mein pocha maar raha tha’7 foods you should never eat without soaking and why5 breathable saree fabrics to wear during the Delhi heatwaveThe surprising history of dupatta in Indian fashion and cultureHow to make restaurant-style Nargisi Kofta for dinner at homeSleeping with lights on or TV playing? Doctors say this habit may disrupt hormones and metabolism10 oldest forests in the world and the countries they are inKuldeep Yadav’s Car Collection: Top 3 expensive cars owned by the cricketer10 quick dinner recipes for summer months that can save your LPG by 30%123Hot PicksDoha travel alertLadakh statehood ralliesRasgulla choking deathGold rate todayIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays March 2026Bank Holidays MarchTop TrendingH1B VisaPurdue BoilermakersBareilly murderTaylor SwiftNFL Free AgencyGreen Card HoldersAssembly election dateStephen CurryNeymarEid ul fitr 2026
KOLLAM: A maritime trainee from Chandanathope in Kerala’s Kollam is stranded on an Iranian cargo vessel mid-sea off Sharjah coast for nearly a month. His family is worried that he is suffering. Akhimon M, 21, had joined Iran-based cargo vessel Queen Star and travelled to the country on April 14 last year. After completing training at International Maritime Academy in Chennai, he secured placement through a Jaipur-based recruitment agency. His mother Rameeha Madhu told TOI that the family last spoke to him four days ago. “They have not been providing proper food or salary to my son. He said he is struggling. He is our only son and we’re helpless,” she said. The family has approached the shipowner and sought intervention of Kollam MP, N K Premachandran. The MP told TOI: “I have taken up the matter with the Indian embassy in Iran… it is difficult to say when he would be able to return but he is reported to be safe.”
