- Akhil Joyan, a 26-year-old seafarer from Kerala, was killed in a Russian attack off Odesa
- Joyan was set to marry in two months and had worked six years on the cargo ship MV Golden Leo
- He was the only son of his family, who recently built a house in Kasaragod district, Kerala
Akhil Joyan, a seafarer from Kerala, was one of four Indians who were killed in a Russian attack on a cargo ship, MV Golden Leo, off the coast of the Ukrainian city of Odesa. The 26-year-old resident of Vellarikkundu in Kasaragod district was all set to get married in the next two months.
Joyan has been working as a mariner on the ship for the last six years and was looking to change his job soon. According to people close to his family, the young sailor was the only son of Joyan, who works at an electrical shop, and Sally, an insurance agent.
"They are an ordinary family, and their future depended largely on Akhil. They had recently constructed a house," Shobi Joseph, a ward member of Vellarikkundu in the Balal grama panchayat, told news agency PTI.
Recalling his last meeting with Joyan, Joseph said the young sailor had come home around three months ago for his engagement ceremony.
"He was known as a well-behaved and disciplined youngster...His marriage was scheduled to take place two months from now. The bride is from the Alappuzha district. He returned to work a month back," he said.
Joseph said Joyan was well known in the locality and a popular tug-of-war player. He was reportedly looking to change his job soon for a better future.
Joyan's family got to know about his death through an email received from the shipping company he worked with on Monday evening.
"We are trying to gather more details and complete the necessary formalities. He joined the merchant navy at the age of 19," Joseph said, adding the family was in touch with local politicians to obtain assistance for the repatriation of the body and other formalities.
Meanwhile, the Keraka Chief Minister's Office, in a statement, said that it has directed the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) Department to coordinate with the Russian Consulate and the Ministry of External Affairs to gather more information following the Keralite's death in a Russian attack on the merchant vessel off Ukraine.
As per foreign media reports, Ukraine's Sea Ports Authority said a cargo vessel flying the flag of the West African country of Guinea-Bissau was hit by Russian forces on Sunday, shortly after it left the port of Odesa, killing 10 of its crew, including five sailors from Syria.
Eight people were rescued from the ship, which was carrying Ukrainian corn, it added.
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