An Indian deck cadet, Pranav Karad has gone missing from Resolve II, a Belgian gas tanker vessel operated by Transpetrol. The seafarer was reported missing while the ship was sailing from New Caledonia to Singapore.
The 22-year-old deck cadet was a resident of Warje Malwadi area in Pune (India). His father works as a cab driver, mother Savita is a home maker, while his younger sister is in Class/Grade 10.
Despite hardships, he completed his degree in Nautical Sciences, and was recruited by Mumbai-based merchant shipping company and crew provider, Wilhelmsen Ship Management (India) Private Limited, which is part of the Wilhelmsen maritime group (headquartered in Norway).
Shocked family members are desperate to know the seafarers whereabouts. According to Pranav’s family, his Company is not cooperating and neither providing answers on his disappearance – How he went missing, the search operations, and who is answerable about the incident? Reports suggest the seafarer went missing when the vessel sailed between Indonesia and Singapore.
“I just want my son back. Henceforth we will not leave him far” – Pranav’s mother, Savita Karad.
“On Friday night we got a call and Saturday morning we received an email from the company authorities saying Pranav was missing from the ship. Later, we repeatedly called them up, but they are not providing us any information nor updating us, nor responding to our issues,” said Gopal Karad, Pranav’s father.
Since then, his mother is in a shock. In a heart-breaking and painful situation, Gopal added, “It was his dream to be part of the merchant navy. He was happy on Thursday when we last spoke. I just want my son back. His mother is in deep shock. It’s now we thought that all painful years of life will be made up for, but this incident has shattered us.”
We at Real Ship Life, would like to know – If “no efforts were spared” to find Pranav, then:
- Why did the ship themselves stop search operation, and continue sailing?
- Why did Wilhelmsen shipping company not provide CCTV footage of the Seafarer’s whereabouts, his last known status and location on the ship?
- Why is Wilhelmsen and Transpetrol not providing Pranav’s family with contact information of his sailor colleagues and crew working with him onboard, and that of the Captain?
- Why does the Wilhelmsen Ship Management have no answers on how the Seafarer went missing and what happened to him?
These are concrete and valid questions, that Wilhelmsen / Transpetrol are keeping quiet and have no answers. Renouncing accountability of a missing seafarer at sea is an unlawful contempt as per international maritime law, and those guilty should be held for criminal conduct.
According to the family, Pranav was selected during campus interview but had joined Wilhelmsen Ship Management company only six months ago. He was employed as a deck cadet onboard Resolve II vessel, which is a chemical and oil products cargo tanker.
“This was his first job, which was meant for 11 months’ duration and had completed six months on it. I just want my son back. Henceforth we will not leave him far. We received his call every two days. The company is not providing any contact numbers of those serving with him. We wanted to know how he went missing and what happened.”
Kunal Katyal of Wilhelmsen India recruitment and placement services (RPS agency), informed the family by email that the Singaporean and the Indonesian authorities are assisting in the search.
Typical Corporate response: “I am providing a written update following our phone conversations yesterday on April 5 regarding your son Pranav Karad, who is serving as deck cadet onboard our vessel Resolve II (IMO: 9849253). As spoken, Pranav was reported missing yesterday afternoon, and the crew immediately activated search efforts in accordance with international protocols. We have also contacted local authorities in Singapore and Indonesia, who are assisting in the search efforts. Our thoughts are with you and your family during this distressing period, and I want to reassure you that the search continues, and we will spare no effort in doing so. I will keep you updated as soon as we have more information. In the meantime, you can contact me directly at any time should you require further information or assistance.”
“We confronted the company officials. They refused to give us any information or cooperate with us. We want answers about where my son is?,” said Gopal Karad, the missing seafarer´s father.
“He always said he wanted to become a captain of a ship. All recent conversations with him had been pleasant ones. He was helping out the family financially. Just a few days ago he sent Rs. 40,000 for his sister’s coaching class fees and Rs. One lakh to repay someone we owed money to. My son has made the family proud. Ask anyone in his college, they will say that he was a talented student who was always in the top of his class,” said Pranav’s mother Savita.
Pranav Karad had completed his degree in Nautical Sciences from MANET (Maharashtra Academy of Naval Education and Training) of Pune-based MIT College Group in 2022.
Pranav’s uncle, Atmaram Mundhe said, “Pranav has seen his father get up at 2-3 am and return late at night to earn and save money for a better future for the family. The three year course was an expensive affair and the fees for it totalled Rs 17 lakh. His father had put in his hard earned money and also borrowed money from family and friends, which he was now repaying with Pranav’s help. The boy’s ambition was to have a better future for his family.”
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