'He was supposed to get married in 2 months': Family mourns Kerala sailor killed in Russian attack on vessel off Ukraine coast

Akhil Joyan, a 26-year-old sailor from Kerala’s Kasaragod district, was among four Indian nationals killed after the Russian attack on the cargo ship MV Golden Leo off the Ukrainian port city of Odesa on July 19.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the vessel was attacked while leaving the port of Odessa. There were 17 crew members on board, including five Indians. One Indian crew member survived the attack and was hospitalized.

“Our mission in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation and making every effort to extend all possible assistance to those affected. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased Indian nationals and wish the injured Indian national a speedy and complete recovery,” the MEA said.

Who was Akhil Joyan?

Akhil Joyan hailed from Vellarikkundu village in Kasaragod district of Kerala and had been working as a seaman aboard the MV Golden Leo for the past six years after completing a marine science course in Chennai.

According to a PTI report quoting family members, he recently visited home and was preparing for a wedding that was scheduled to take place in the coming months.

“His wedding was to be held in two months. The bride is from Alappuzha district. He returned to work a month ago,” a neighbor told PTI.

Akhil joined the merchant navy at the age of 19 and was the sole breadwinner of the family. He was the only son of Joyan and Sally and his parents had recently built a house with his support.

People close to his family described him as a disciplined and well-behaved young man who was looking for better career opportunities. According to an Indian Express report, he was also known locally as a tug-of-war player and held the world record for the maximum number of tug-of-wars in 30 seconds.

The family learned of his death through an email sent by the shipping company on Monday night.

The Kerala government is looking for details

The Kerala Chief Minister’s Office said the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) has been tasked with coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Russian Consulate to gather more information and help repatriate the body.

The family is also in contact with elected representatives to complete the necessary formalities.

The attack comes at a time of continued hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, with commercial shipping in the Black Sea region remaining vulnerable.