A Keralite family from Kattapana in Idukki district has sought help from the Centre and the state government to trace a 23-year-old man who went incommunicado while on a merchant navy internship in Iran.

Jerin Joseph had last sent a text message to his parents on the morning of February 27, informing them about the war and promising to call them the next day. However, that call never came.

Jerin’s father, Sajan Jose, tried to contact him but in vain. Sajan, who runs a convenience store with his wife Lisamma, said the Chennai-based institute that sent Jerin and some others to Iran had claimed that they were all fine.

“We have already approached chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union minister Suresh Gopi and Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose. We urge the authorities to track down Jerin and arrange his safe repatriation to Kerala. The Chennai company that sent Jerin to Iran for a nine-month internship told us that he would return once the war was over,” Sajan said.

Chennai-based Rudraksha Merchant Navy Institute had sent Jerin to Iran on July 27. Jerin was working in Iran’s Port Bushehr with Lian Ocean Star Shipping Company.

Indians killed

Amid the escalating West Asia conflict, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Friday said six Indian nationals had lost their lives while one remained missing in “various incidents”.

At an inter-ministerial briefing here, additional secretary (Gulf), MEA, Aseem R. Mahajan, said: “Late yesterday night, we received information regarding the tragic demise of an Indian national, during an attack in Riyadh on March 18.”

“Our missions in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, and the UAE are in regular touch with the concerned authorities regarding the missing Indian national and for the early repatriation of mortal remains of the deceased Indian nationals to India,” he said.

He, however, did not elaborate upon the circumstances of this death.

“We express our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. Our mission in Riyadh is in touch with the family and closely coordinating with local authorities for the early return of the mortal remains to India,” he said.

On Friday, the Indian embassy in Riyadh also said that an Indian national was killed in Saudi Arabia due to the “recent events of March 18”.

A day earlier, the Indian embassy said alerts were received by residents in Riyadh and some other regions on Wednesday.

“The Indian community is advised to remain calm and composed,” the embassy said.

Since February 28, around three lakh passengers have returned from the Gulf region to India, Mahajan said.

Additional inputs from PTI