Indian sailors risk work at sea, as Iran war grinds on

AI Summary

Indian sailors working in maritime shipping face significant risks due to ongoing conflict related to the Iran war, resulting in casualties including two Indian nationals. Despite these dangers, many Indians continue to view maritime jobs as valuable opportunities.

Born to landless Indian farmers, Sunil Pooniya thought a job at sea would be his ticket out of poverty, instead his first voyage saw him diving into the ocean to escape a deadly attack driven by the Iran war. For hundreds of thousands of Indians, merchant shipping jobs are a lucrative proposition despite the inherent risks. The attack on Pooniya's ship killed two fellow Indians -- the country's sailors are among the highest merchant maritime casualties from the Middle East war.