The first crew members from the vessel MT UNITY, detained in India, are heading home. A Kazakh citizen remains among the sailors still aboard. Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry has said when he will be able to return home, Qazinform News Agency reports. On Oct. 29, seven crew members — six Russian nationals and one Egyptian were disembarked from the vessel and transferred to Bhubaneswar, the capital of India's Odisha state.
They are scheduled to depart for their home countries on Oct. 31. The tanker had a crew of 23 people: 20 Russians, two Egyptians, and one Kazakh citizen. According to Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry, visa processing and repatriation arrangements for the Kazakh national are currently being resolved, and the Embassy in India is keeping the situation under control.
"Efforts are underway with India's Ministry of External Affairs and other authorized agencies to ensure the repatriation of our citizen," the ministry said in a statement. "The Indian court has ruled to allow a crew replacement for the detained vessel. Efforts to process visas and arrange repatriation are underway." The Cameroon-flagged tanker MT Unity has been under arrest near Paradip Port since May 11, 2026, following a commercial dispute involving financial claims by a local fuel supplier against the shipowner.
The crew was stranded aboard for months. According to Indian media reports, the sailors faced severe shortages of food and drinking water. The crew also faced delays in wage payments. On 17 September 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the detention and sent a diplomatic note to India’s Foreign Ministry requesting assistance in resolving the situation.