From Thrissur to Strait of Hormuz; Kerala engineer recounts witnessing war from a ship's deck

Thrissur: “Before starting work that morning, I stepped onto the ship's deck to breathe some fresh air and enjoy the view of sea. Suddenly, missiles streaked overhead like flashes of lightning. In those terrifying moments, all I wanted was to quit my job as quickly as possible. But when I rushed back down, I saw my colleagues calmly continuing their work as if nothing had happened. I joined them and carried on. That was the day I truly understood what my job meant.”

These are the unforgettable memories shared by Hifa Saleem, a marine engineer from Thrissur, who was aboard a ship stranded near the Strait of Hormuz during the height of the US-Iran conflict in March. It was her very first voyage after joining the profession.

The 24-year-old joined a vessel operated by the Synergy Marine Group, headquartered in Singapore, as a trainee officer last October after boarding from Houston, US. Although the ship had crossed the Strait of Hormuz several times earlier, the situation changed dramatically in March. The company informed the crew that the vessel bound for Kuwait would not be allowed to transit through the strait.

As a result, the ship remained anchored off the coast of Fujairah. Even after a week, permission to proceed was not granted, forcing the vessel to return to the United States. Hifa informed her family about the ordeal only after the ship had safely left the conflict zone.

Having completed her first assignment at sea, Hifa is now in Coimbatore, preparing for promotional examinations. Meanwhile, on International Day of the Seafarer (June 25), she won first prize in an essay competition organised by Synergy Marine Group, where she wrote about her maiden voyage and wartime experience.

Around 200 employees from the company's vessels participated in the competition. The company also congratulated her through a post on its official social media page on the occasion of the Day of the Seafarer.

Hifa is daughter of Saleem, a wedding photographer, and Shijitha of Edakkazhiyur in Thrissur. She studied at St Francis School, Palayur, and Seethi Sahib Memorial School, Edakkazhiyur. Her ambition of becoming an officer in the Indian Navy eventually led her to pursue marine engineering. She completed her course at the Chennai campus of the Indian Maritime University.