Six crew members of a fishing vessel consisting of fishermen from Balochistan, who departed for fishing near Somali waters on May 1, 2023, remain missing after eight months with no contact made with their families. Despite repeated efforts by their families, Iranian authorities have provided no answers or taken any action regarding their fate.
The identities of four of the crew members are as follows:
- Abdul Quddus Sanjari – Captain of the vessel and resident of Dempag village in Dashtiari County.
- Abdul Jalil Baloch – Resident of Chabahar.
- Ayoub Sopak – Resident of Kalsagan village in Chabahar County.
- Karim Bakhsh Baloch – Resident of Kalsagan village in Chabahar County.
The identities of the other two crew members remain unknown.
Reports indicate that the Iranian vessel, owned by a Baloch citizen from Chabahar, departed from Chabahar Port on May 1, 2023, bound for international waters near Somalia for fishing. Since then, no information has been received about the vessel or its crew, leaving their families deeply concerned about their safety and well-being.
The families have repeatedly reached out to various government institutions, including the governor’s office, the judiciary, and officials at Chabahar’s Beheshti Port, but no action or response has been provided.
In recent years, incidents of Baloch fishing vessels disappearing or being seized in international waters have been reported multiple times. However, the lack of state support and effective follow-up has heightened concerns among the Baloch community.
