Mystery at Sea: Family Seeks Government Aid as Merchant Navy Sailor Disappears En Route to Turkey
In a distressing turn of events, the family of Ankit Saklani, a seasoned merchant navy sailor, has reached out to the Uttarakhand government seeking assistance as he mysteriously disappeared from the ship he was serving on, en route to a port in Turkey. Ankit, employed by Mumbai-based company Elvis Ship Management since December 1, has been missing since December 18, leaving his family in anguish and raising suspicions about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
Pinky Saklani, Ankit’s wife, revealed to ANI that her husband had initially communicated normally during the first 10 days after joining the company. However, things took a worrisome turn when Ankit began sending unsettling messages expressing his desire to return home. According to Pinky, on December 11, Ankit messaged her, indicating that if anything were to happen to him, the responsibility would lie with the company. Disturbed by this, Pinky promptly contacted the Elvis Ship Management.
Recalling her communication with the company, Pinky stated, “I contacted the Mumbai-based firm. The two agents of the company – Dinesh Jaiswal and a woman – who recruited him informed me that the ship is currently en route, and therefore, signoff of my husband could be done only after the ship reaches Turkey port on December 18.” The family remained hopeful that Ankit would be granted signoff on the expected date.
However, their hopes were shattered when, on the very day the ship was supposed to reach the port in Turkey, Pinky received a devastating call from the company. They informed her that Ankit had allegedly jumped off the vessel just before it was about to dock. The sudden and tragic turn of events left the family in shock and disbelief.
Ankit’s brother, sensing that something was amiss, took decisive action and wrote a letter to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, urging a thorough investigation into the matter. The family suspects foul play and is unwilling to accept the company’s narrative that Ankit’s disappearance was a suicide.
Pinky Saklani accused the firm of attempting to label the incident as a suicide and expressed frustration at their lack of responsiveness to the family’s inquiries. “The company is distancing itself and calling it a suicide. The incident happened at 11 am, and they informed me at 5 am on the day when the ship was about to reach the port, and my husband was about to get a signoff,” she lamented. Furthermore, Pinky highlighted that initially, the company had claimed to be conducting a search operation, but communication abruptly ceased, leaving the family in the dark about Ankit’s whereabouts.
Ankit Saklani, a resident of Dehradun, not only leaves behind a distraught wife but also a four-year-old daughter. The family’s distress has prompted them to take additional steps, including reaching out to the Turkey Embassy, seeking their intervention in the matter. The letter to the embassy likely contains pleas for assistance and a comprehensive inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Ankit’s disappearance.
As the family grapples with uncertainty and grief, the case underscores the challenges faced by those working in the merchant navy and the need for a thorough and transparent investigation to unravel the truth behind Ankit Saklani’s disappearance. The plea to the Uttarakhand government and the Turkey Embassy reflects the family’s determination to seek justice and answers amid the perplexing circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.
