Chinese Man Turns A Maritime Radio Into "Family Voice Station" To Help Stranded Sailors Amid Middle East Tensions

In a difficult situation at sea, a simple idea has helped sailors stay connected with their families. A Chinese man has turned a public maritime radio into a "family's voice station," allowing stranded sailors to send safety messages home, reported the South China Morning Post.

Liu Yiwen, a resident of Jilin Province in northeastern China, serves as a Second Officer aboard a Singaporean commercial vessel. According to China's state-run media outlet, CCTV, the ship is currently anchored near the port of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates.

The vessel was scheduled to sail into the Persian Gulf to load Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), however, following the commencement of a joint military operation against Iran by the United States and Israel on February 28, it-along with hundreds of other ships-has become stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

Most sailors in this region are currently grappling with disruptions to telecommunication signals. Liu considers himself fortunate, noting that his ship is anchored close to shore, which allows him access to the internet, though the network connection remains intermittent.

Nearby vessels rely on VHF (Very High Frequency) radios to communicate with one another, these devices function much like walkie-talkies at sea, capable of transmitting signals only over limited distances.

In early March, Liu overheard a Chinese sailor on the VHF radio asking if anyone had internet access, expressing his distress over being unable to contact his family. Liu remarked that his own family members had been sending him constant messages via social media in recent days, leading him to surmise that the other sailor's family was likely just as anxious.

He then recounted how he informed the sailor that internet access was available on his ship and offered to assist him in making contact by connecting with his wife's social media account.

Approximately ten minutes later, Liu successfully connected with the sailor's wife, who subsequently sent an audio message. Liu held his mobile phone close to the VHF radio and played the message so that the sailor could hear it.

When the sailor responded, Liu recorded his voice on his phone and forwarded the recording to his wife. 

Through this initiative, Liu has created a way for sailors to convey messages to their families, even amidst limited means of communication.