Journalism of Courage

‘Saw missiles for first time’: Paanch Saab on her baptism by fire at sea near Hormuz

24-year-old marine engineer from kerala, on her first ship duty, can’t forget the sight of missiles streaking overhead

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In the early hours of a tense morning outside the Strait of Hormuz, near the Fujairah anchorage, a young marine engineer from Kerala looked at the sky and saw missiles streak past, one after another. It lasted a few seconds but it was a sight, she says, she will never forget.

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Hifa Salim (24) was just months into her dream job, having joined her very first ship in Houston in October 2025, when war broke out in the Persian Gulf, scrapping the ship’s planned cargo run to Kuwait in early March.

The vessel was instead directed to drift outside the Strait of Hormuz, near the Fujairah anchorage, and wait. Salim later learned that arriving in the area just 15 hours earlier would have trapped the vessel inside the strait when the situation really deteriorated.

Also Read | Can Iran charge navigation fees for transit through the Strait of Hormuz? An Expert Explains

It was on one of those drifting mornings, stepping onto the deck for fresh air before her engine room rounds, that she heard a sound from the sky and looked up to see the flashes.

“This was the first time I saw missiles in real life. My hands started shivering,” she says. Terrified, she ran below to the mess room and considered asking to sign off. But once there, she found her crewmates eating breakfast, laughing, entirely at ease and something in her perspective shifted.

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“If my seniors could carry their own fear and still show up for work, so could I,” says Salim.

She heard the main engine starting — a small kick ahead for position adjustment. “I heard the starting sound. ‘Tak Tak Tak.’ I hear that sound every time. But that morning it felt different. It felt like the heartbeat of the ship. And that time I realised the ship is alive. We are not alone,” wrote Salim later in an essay published in the  magazine of Synergy Marine Group that manages her ship.

Also Read | Expert Explains | Despite talks, why US and Iran are still trading blows — and may keep doing so

She went down to have a cup of tea with the Second Engineer, the officer she reported to. “He took one look at me and could read that something is not right and  when I said that I want to stay on board and be part of the team instead of quitting, he smiled and said in Malayalam, ‘5 saab ippo strong aayi, Vaa namuk oru fuel valve overhaul cheyyam, appo ellam sheryavum’ which translated to ‘5 saab had become strong now. Come, let’s overhaul one fuel valve, then everything will be alright.’ In the middle of uncertainty, those simple words gave me comfort, strength and the confidence to carry on with my work.”

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As a fifth engineer everyone on board called her “Paanch Saab”, the traditional title for the ship’s youngest engineer. “I liked the name. It made me feel like I belonged, even though I didn’t have a watch yet,” says Salim who also made the decision to not  tell her family at home the full extent of what was happening — she didn’t want them to panic. It was only after the ship had safely cleared the area that she learned her parents had been doing the very same thing for her: staying composed on their calls, masking their own fear so she wouldn’t carry the weight of theirs.

“We were all trying to protect one another in our own way,” she reflects.

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Also in Explained | Why ships still aren’t safe in Strait of Hormuz despite US-Iran peace deal

Hailing from Edakkazhiyur, a small town in Thrissur district, her close-knit family had always taught her to dream big while staying grounded, she says. She had once dreamed of the Indian Navy, but the engineering side of the Merchant Navy pulled her in, partly because almost no one at home could tell her what the profession even involved.

“Nobody could tell me what the merchant navy actually was,” she recalls. “This blank space was my spark. I resolved to become the first person from my town to walk that path, so that anyone who came looking for answers afterwards could look at me, and I could show them exactly what’s possible,” she says.

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With 3.23 lakh sailors (as of 2024), India ranks among the top three global suppliers of seafarers, alongside the Philippines and China, holding approximately 17% of global crew share. Today, nearly one in five seafarers worldwide is Indian.

During the Iran war, 13 India-flagged vessels, with close to 550 Indian sailors on board, were stuck in the Strait of Hormuz for more than 100 days. Across the broader Gulf region, more than 18,000 Indian seafarers were caught up in the uncertainty.

Expert Explains | A point-by-point breakdown of US-Iran MoU, from nuclear issue to Strait of Hormuz

Women however make up just 1% of the total number of seafarers globally. Salim was one of the two women (the other being a deck cadet) amongst the crew of 24  on board her vessel as it drifted near the war zone.

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Salim completed her B.Tech in Marine Engineering at the Indian Maritime University in Chennai, and on October 15, 2025, she joined her first vessel in Houston, a moment she describes as a mix of “excitement, nervousness, and curiosity.”

All of it continued until those fleeting moments of fear overtook these emotions in the war zone. But finally as the heartbeats from deep below the ship won over the sounds of the missiles above, Salim responded to the challenges of the sea like a true sailor.

Three months after the Hormuz crossing, Salim signed off in Japan. “The first thing I wanted wasn’t rest or celebration, it was just my mother’s home-cooked food,” smiles the girl who is now preparing for her exams for the next level of rank at sea.

© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More

 

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