Prayagraj — A small flat in the city has become the epicentre of an anxious wait. Two children — a two-year-old who asks when his father will return and a 10-month-old infant — play around toys while their mother, Neha Mishra, keeps watch on her phone for any news. Their husband and father, Vineet Kishore Mishra, a 35-year-old chief officer in the merchant navy, has been stranded aboard a cargo vessel at Pakistan’s Karachi port for nearly six months, the family says.
Family fears rise as communication cuts off
The family reported that communications with Vineet stopped around three to four days ago. Before the break, relatives understood that the vessel had run short of fuel, electricity supply on board had been cut and the ship’s galley had closed, leaving the crew in difficult conditions, the family said.
Vineet, who joined the merchant navy a decade ago, last visited Prayagraj in February and returned to duty soon after. The vessel reached Karachi around April 17 after sailing routes through Iraq and Oman, the family said. Cargo was loaded at the port but the ship did not receive permission to sail further; the cargo was subsequently unloaded while the crew remained on board. The family said the vessel is reportedly detained because of a financial or documentation dispute between the shipping company and a local agency.
“I request Prime Minister Modi ji, Chief Minister Yogi ji and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to bring my husband back home safely,”
The plea, delivered by Neha in a video clip circulating locally, highlights the immediate human cost: two infants dependent on their mother’s care and a father cut off from his family amid uncertain conditions abroad.
Background and local context
Vineet’s father, Lalit Kishore Mishra, a retired Army man who served 25 years and later worked as a primary school teacher, described the situation as unprecedented for the family. He said they had been unable to contact Vineet during the recent communication blackout and that the family was deeply worried about the crew’s welfare.
Prayagraj has a sizeable number of families connected to seafaring professions, and incidents involving Indian merchant vessels abroad often trigger urgent appeals to government authorities for consular support and repatriation. Local residents and relatives typically seek help from the Ministry of External Affairs and the nearest Indian consulate, depending on the port of detention.
What the family says — timeline and details
| Event | Details (as reported by family) |
|---|---|
| Last home visit | February 2026 |
| Arrival at Karachi | Around April 17, 2026 |
| Nature of problem | Vessel detained over alleged financial/documentation dispute; cargo unloaded |
| Communication status | Contact lost 3–4 days prior to family statement |
- Family composition: Vineet, wife Neha, two-year-old son and a 10-month-old infant.
- Occupation: Vineet is chief officer with 10 years in the merchant navy.
- Immediate request: Family has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for assistance.
The family did not provide details of any contact with Indian consular authorities in Pakistan or of any assistance being extended so far. They said the vessel’s crew remained aboard after cargo was unloaded and that the ship’s situation deteriorated as supplies and power became scarce prior to the communication loss.
Local political leaders and civil society groups in Prayagraj often intervene in such cases by petitioning relevant ministries and facilitating media visibility for families. The family’s public appeal is likely to prompt inquiries from local MPs and state officials, though there is no official confirmation yet of any formal action from the Ministry of External Affairs or the Indian mission in Pakistan.
For now, back in Prayagraj, the household routine is reduced to an anxious counting of days and repeated viewings of a short video in which a toddler asks the question many in the city now share: when will Papa come back?
