Young Seafarer Missing from Ship: A Pune Family Desperate for Answers
A family in Pune, India, is grappling with a terrifying ordeal after their 22-year-old son, Pranav Karad, went missing from a merchant ship last week. Pranav, a deck cadet, was deployed on the gas tanker “Resolve II” for the past six months, working for Wilhelmsen Ship Management (India) Pvt Ltd.
The family’s nightmare began on a Friday night when they received a call from the company. The chilling news: Pranav was missing from the ship while it sailed between Indonesia and Singapore. An agonizing wait followed, with only a Saturday morning email from the company confirming his disappearance.
Seeking answers, the Karad family embarked on a desperate quest for information. On Monday, they travelled to Mumbai to file a statement with the police. But their frustration deepened when they confronted Wilhelmsen officials.
Gopal Karad, Pranav’s father, narrated their harrowing experience to The Indian Express. He described their pleas for crucial details – CCTV footage from the ship, Pranav’s last known location and state of mind, information on the search operation, and a chance to speak with the captain or crew.
“They refused to give us any information or cooperate with us,” Gopal lamented. “They kept saying the search operation is underway, but don’t we have the right to know details? We are in the dark about how he went missing, his mental state, and even the specifics of the search.”
Adding to their anguish, the family’s request for a meeting with Wilhelmsen’s top management was also rejected.
A glimmer of hope emerged when they met officials from the Directorate General of Shipping in Mumbai. Pranav’s cousin, Anun Mundhe, shared that the officers assured them of full cooperation and updates on the search efforts.
The family’s last contact with Pranav was a day before he vanished. He had a call with his cousin Prithviraj. A promising young man, Pranav completed his Nautical Sciences degree from the Maharashtra Academy of Naval Education and Training (MANET) in 2022. He secured the job through a campus interview but joined the company only six months ago.
The article concludes with a chilling detail – calls made by the family to Wilhelmsen’s listed contact numbers and those provided by them remained unanswered.
Gopal Karad, who works as a cab driver in Pune, shared that Pranav had been serving as a deck cadet for the past six months aboard the Resolve II vessel, a gas tanker. The family received distressing news on Friday night via a call and on Saturday morning via email, informing them that Pranav had gone missing from the ship while it was sailing between Singapore and Indonesia.
Gopal Karad recounted their attempts to seek clarity from the company officials. They demanded access to CCTV footage from the ship to determine Pranav’s last known whereabouts and status. They also requested information about his interactions with the ship’s captain and crewmates. However, the company refused to provide any information or cooperate with the family’s inquiries.
Feeling helpless, Gopal Karad expressed his frustration, questioning their right to know what happened to Pranav and the specifics of the ongoing search operation. The family also sought a meeting with senior officials of the Wilhelmsen Group, but their request was denied.
Anun Mundhe, Pranav’s cousin, shared their efforts to seek assistance from the authorities. They met with officials from the Directorate General of Shipping in Mumbai, who assured them of their cooperation and promised to keep them informed about the progress of the search operation.
This story exposes a family’s struggle amidst an unimaginable situation. The lack of transparency from the shipping company only deepens their pain and raises serious questions about crew member safety and communication protocols. As the search for Pranav continues, the Karad family waits with bated breath, yearning for answers and clinging to hope.
