Just 40 days after returning to sea with dreams of coming home next April to marry his fiancée, 26-year-old merchant navy officer Akhil Joyan from Kerala was killed in an alleged Russian missile strike on the cargo vessel MV Golden Leo near Ukraine’s Odessa port, shattering the aspirations of a family that had invested everything in his future.
The confirmation of Akhil’s death reached his family in stages — first as uncertainty, then as devastating certainty.
“We first received a call from the Mumbai-based agency around 10 or 11 in the morning, saying there had been a missile attack and the ship had suffered damage,” said Shaji Valipalackal, Akhil’s paternal uncle, told The Hindu.
“An email letter said several Indians were among the dead but none had been identified. It was only around 4 pm that the company confirmed Akhil’s death after his body was identified.”
The attack on the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel near Odessa claimed 10 lives, including four Indians. Akhil, the ship’s chief officer, was among those killed.
For Joyan and Saly, who struggled financially to educate their only son, Akhil’s journey to the merchant navy represented years of sacrifice finally bearing fruit.
“He always wanted to join the merchant navy. Even though we couldn’t afford it, the family took loans to educate him because it was his dream,” Mr. Shaji said. “Whatever savings the family had were spent on his education.”
Joyan, who works as a salesman in a private establishment, managed to build the family’s new house only after Akhil secured his job. The family moved into the house barely a year ago, believing their hardship were finally behind them.
Akhil had completed his plus two at St. Jude’s Higher Secondary School, Vellarikundu, before graduating in Marine Engineering from Chennai with distinction. He had been serving aboard merchant vessels for the past four years. Only two months ago, Akhil had returned home on leave to finalise his engagement with a woman from Idukki. The engagement was held on May 24 and the wedding was planned for April next year, when he was expected to return on leave.
“He had gone back to sea only about 40 days ago. Everything was planned around his next vacation,” his uncle recalled.
The family’s last contact with Akhil was a missed call and a brief WhatsApp message reading “Hi” on Sunday evening.
“We couldn’t reconnect after that. We believe he may have tried to contact home after the first missile strike. After that, there was a complete silence,” Mr. Shaji said.
The family says information from the shipping company has been limited. According to the company, repatriating Akhil’s body could take at least 10 to 15 days, he said. “The only update we have now is that the body has been shifted to a hospital. Beyond that, we have no official information,” Mr. Shaji said.
The Kerala government has assured the family of full support. The District Collector, senior officials and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala have contacted the family, while the Centre and NORKA have initiated efforts to facilitate the return of the body.
“They have promised that the government will coordinate everything, including the expenses,” Mr. Shaji said.
Beyond his maritime career, Akhil was a talented sportsman who had earned recognition for his extraordinary physical fitness. He held a Worldwide Book of Records title for completing 25 rope pull-ups in 30 seconds, reclaiming a record he had earlier lost.
Teachers and neighbours remember him as a disciplined, cheerful young man whose achievement inspired many in the village.
His parents, overwhelmed by grief, require medical attention after the news broke. His mother Saly has struggled to cope with the loss of her only child.
District Collector Arjun Pandian said they are yet to receive official details regarding the repatriation of the body. “We have not received complete official information yet. NORKA is coordinating the process through the Indian Embassy, but even they do not have clarity on how many days it will take to repatriate the body,” he told The Hindu.
Published – July 21, 2026 01:21 pm IST
