We cannot express our grief in words. We have lost our brothers, and we are living through a grief that does not let up. For weeks now, we have been running across embassies and ministries, crying for help to somehow search for them. That is the only expectation we have left.
On 25 July, our brothers, Ram Chandra Dubey and Deepak Kumar Gupta, were among the nine crew members aboard a Palau-flagged merchant ship sailing from Ukraine to Greece. Four of the crew members were Indian.
As the ship sailed out of Ukraine’s Odesa port, it was attacked by drones. While seven crew members, including two Indians, were rescued, our brothers, Ram and Deepak, have been missing since then.
'We're Endlessly Waiting For Their Calls'
We used to talk to them every day on WhatsApp calls. We last spoke to him on the evening of 24 July. Since they used to call us in the evening, we would wait for it. On 25 July, we didn't get any call from him.
Our families got worried as they didn't receive the call that day. We assumed it would be normal because there have been times before when the network was unavailable, and we'd get a call the next day instead.
On 26 July, we got a call from the consultancy. They told us that the ship our brothers were sailing on — from Ukraine to Greece, carrying corn — had been attacked by drones, and that two Indian sailors, Ram Chandra Dubey and Deepak Kumar Gupta, were missing.
'The Eyewitness Account'
We somehow managed to get the number of an eyewitness, the first officer of the ship, and we spoke to him.
We wanted to understand what actually happened — why only two sailors were out in the open while everyone else was inside the ship.
He told us it was around 4 pm. They were all having tea together. Their captain came and told Ram to take a paint bucket outside, where some painting work was going on. Ram went to get the paint. There were three more Indians with him, and all of them shared a close bond. So Deepak also went along with him.
As soon as they went to hand over the paint bucket, the first drone attack happened right there. Some people suffered burn injuries; some became unconscious. From what the eyewitness told us, the captain ran to call them and told them to wear their safety kits, since the attacks had begun.
Then another attack happened, very close to them. Whether they fell or jumped into the sea because of that attack is something even he couldn't tell us clearly.
'Running From MEA to Embassies, Still No News'
Since 25 July, we have been continuously calling the shipping company and the Ukrainian embassy. All we keep hearing is that the search operation is ongoing.
In one of their updates, the Ukrainian Embassy told us that the Romanian border is very close to where the incident took place, and that the water is also flowing in the same direction — so there is a chance our brothers may have drifted that way.
'We Miss Them A lot'
Deepak was 26 years old. On 2 August, he turned 27, and he was supposed to be home by his birthday. He had been in this industry for the last one and a half years. This was his second trip. The first time, he was at sea for 8–9 months. This time, the voyage was going to last close to a year.
The last time we spoke, he was talking about coming back. He wanted to buy a bike. He had shared plans to travel.
Ram was around 22–23 years old. This was his second trip too — he had gone once before. He went for duty on 25 September 2025, and on 25 July 2026, his ship was attacked. He was due to sign off next month and come home. But before that could happen, this is what he had to face.
As the days pass, our hope keeps slipping a little further. We are asking everyone — please help us find our brothers. We request that the government speak with the Ukrainian and Romanian governments, get us an update on rescue operations, and help us find Ram and Deepak soon. With each passing day, it is getting later. We just want to bring our brothers home.
MEA On The Incident
On 4 August, the Ministry of External Affairs gave an update on the search and rescue operation.
Since the incident took place, our embassies in Ukraine and Romania have been in constant touch with local authorities, and search and rescue operations have been undertaken as directed by the Supreme Court, in coordination with the authorities both in Ukraine and Romania. We are making all efforts to trace the two missing Indian nationals.Randhir Jaiswal, MEA Spokesperson
The Quint reached out to Dwello Ship Management, the agency for the recruitment of the seafarers, for the latest update on the situation.
Sushant Rajoura, the MD of the company, told The Quint, "We are following up with the Ukrainian authorities for updates on the search and rescue operation. The report is pending from their end. We are in touch with the family members of the two missing seafarers and are doing everything on our end to help them."
(The Quint has also reached out to the MEA and the Ukrainian and Romanian embassies for an update on the search and rescue operations. Their responses are awaited. The story will be updated as and when they respond. )
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