17 Fishermen Caught in Silence
Eighty days have passed since the last radio signal from the fishing dhow Shahin 2, which disappeared 70 miles off the coast of Oman. The vessel had set out from the port of Konarak with 17 people on board, but after being seen by an American helicopter, it fell completely silent.
This report not only highlights the uncertainty surrounding the fate of the 17 missing seafarers, but also paints a stark picture of the distress faced by their families. Despite more than two months of continuous follow-up by domestic authorities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iran’s embassies in Oman and Pakistan, and correspondence with the International Red Cross, they remain in a state of complete limbo.
Mohammad Anvar Bazarzahi, the representative for Chabahar and Konarak, and Sajjad Baloch, a close family associate and the dhow’s owner, discussed the untold dimensions of the economic pressure and humanitarian crisis surrounding this case in an interview with Torabaran’s reporter. The documents, official letters, and administrative correspondence are fully available at Torabaran magazine and can be cited as evidence.
The Last Contact; The Account of the American Helicopter
According to Bijarzehi’s statements, the fishing dhow Shahin 2 made its last contact around midnight on 17 Shahrivar 1405. In his final message, the captain reported the presence of an American helicopter above the dhow, and immediately after that, communication was cut off forever. From that moment until now, despite the passage of more than two and a half months (around 80 days), no trace has been found of these 17 crew members, most of whom are from local families and relatives in the region.
Administrative Follow-Ups and International Silence
Emphasizing the legal measures that have been taken, the Chabahar representative spoke of written and telephone follow-ups with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Fisheries Organization, the Ports and Maritime Organization, and the Red Crescent Society. Through the Parliamentary Affairs Department, correspondence was carried out with Iran’s embassies in Oman and Pakistan, the result of which was those countries’ official declaration that they had no information. Through in-person and telephone follow-ups by the families and the member of parliament, the International Red Cross referred the matter to its Geneva office and subsequently to the United States, but at the time of writing this report, no response has been provided confirming or denying knowledge of the dhow’s fate.
Referring to the vital role of Konarak Port in supplying 70 percent of the country’s tuna fish, Bijarzehi noted that this region, despite its strategic position in the food chain and national security, faces serious infrastructural deprivation.
He added: This is not the only missing dhow; in Mehr 1404, 8 other fishermen from this same port also disappeared, and to this day there has been no news of them. The families of these 17 fishermen are in very poor psychological condition, and the loss of the breadwinners of their households has left their tables empty. This member of parliament called on the Red Crescent to provide immediate livelihood aid packages, so that even a small balm may be placed on the suffering of the affected families.
A Call for the Issue to Be Brought Into the Media
Given the deadlock in domestic and diplomatic follow-ups, the families and the representative of the constituency are now focused on media diplomacy. Bijarzehi has requested the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to hold press conferences with the presence of foreign media in order to bring the dimensions of this humanitarian tragedy to the attention of the world, in the hope that the pressure of international public opinion may break the silence surrounding the fate of these 17 Iranian sailors. Bijarzehi emphasized in closing that if no clear answer is received in the coming days, he will seriously pursue the matter in the Islamic Consultative Assembly by questioning the ministers and the officials of the relevant agencies. What is happening today in Makran is a humanitarian crisis which, in the shadow of a lack of safety equipment and security ambiguities in the waters of the region, has left many families grieving and waiting.
Sajjad Baloch’s Full Account of the Uncertain Fate of the Dhow Shahin 2
Explaining the story of the disappearance of the fishing dhow Shahin 2, Sajjad Baloch told Tarabaran’s reporter: This dhow belonged to the Konarak fishing port and, together with six other dhows, set out for international waters on 15 Ordibehesht 1405. He explained that the destination of these dhows was in fact international waters and the route leading to the Indian Ocean, and that these vessels were traveling along the usual fishing routes of the region. According to him, at around 1 a.m. on 17 Ordibehesht, in the vicinity of 70 miles off the coast of Oman, the last contacts with the dhow Shahin 2 were made. Sajjad Baloch said that during that same period, according to reports from the accompanying dhows, an American helicopter was seen above this vessel, and after that, the dhows scattered from one another. From then on, no one heard any more news of Shahin 2, and all of the dhow’s navigational and communication systems were cut off.
Referring to the fact that a group of accompanying dhows were moving along the same route, he said: After that incident, no matter how much they tried to contact Shahin 2 by radio and other communication tools, no sound was received and communication was completely lost.
Sajjad Baloch said: This incident is not just a maritime matter, but has placed 17 families in a difficult and uncertain situation. According to him, many of these crew members were from the same family and relatives, and some of them were the sole breadwinners of their households. Among the missing were people who, despite severe livelihood problems, had gone to sea in order to provide for their families. Some of them had a young child, a sick child, or a disabled family member, and some had only recently married or had just become parents. One of the painful points of the story is that among these 17 people, there were also 17-year-olds, which is a sign of livelihood pressure and economic desperation. For these people, fishing was not a matter of recreation, but of survival.
The Heavy Cost of Livelihood and Accumulated Debts
Sajjad Baloch continued in a more personal tone, speaking of the severe financial pressure that he and his family have endured. He said that years of his family’s hard work had been gathered to launch this dhow, and now he himself is faced with a heavy debt burden. His goal in doing this was not only to earn income for himself, but also to try to create direct employment for at least 17 people and indirect employment for dozens of others. According to him, this vessel was still at the beginning of its working path, and only a few service trips had passed since it began operating.
Sajjad Baloch stated: My intention was that through this very work, bread and jobs would be created for people. Some people were dependent on this work even to buy a single piece of bread. I did not want these boys to have to hold out their hands before anyone; I wanted them to work and live with dignity.
In another part of his remarks, he says that after learning of the incident, the matter was pursued through the Fisheries Organization, the governorate, the directorate-general, the Ports Organization, the governor-general’s office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Red Cross, but up to this moment no result has been obtained. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs followed up on the matter through Iran’s embassies in Oman and Pakistan, but no clear answer has been received regarding the fate of the dhow. Also, letters have been exchanged through the Red Cross, but there is still no definite news about the condition of the crew members.
Sajjad Baloch emphasized: We are not seeking speculation, nor are we seeking rumors. We only want the truth. If they have been captured, even that news would bring peace to the families. If something else has happened, it must be made clear. This uncertainty is bringing everyone to their knees. According to Sajjad Baloch, the families’ main demand is for the true fate of the 17 crew members to be made clear. He emphasized that even if it is determined that these people have been detained or taken captive somewhere, even that would be better for the families than this unbearable uncertainty. The families live with anxiety every night, and some of the missing persons’ children cry at night asking for their fathers. In his view, the issue is not merely an administrative or maritime case, but a human issue that must be pursued with seriousness and urgency.
A Request to Relief and Human Rights Institutions
In closing, Sajjad Baloch has called on international organizations, relief institutions, maritime organizations, and human rights bodies to take action to clarify the truth. He said this demand is the demand of 17 families who want to know whether their loved ones are alive, captive, or what fate has befallen them. He also warns that if no clear answer is given, this case must also be pursued through more formal and supervisory channels, and it must not be allowed to be forgotten.
