Just two months left for wedding; Akhil killed in Russian missile strike was set to switch jobs

KASARGOD: The Malayali sailor killed in a Russian missile strike on a cargo ship in the Black Sea was preparing to switch jobs and get married in the coming months. The deceased, Akhil Joyan (26), was the only son of Joyan and Sally of Vellarikkundu, Kasaragod. He died after a Russian missile hit the cargo ship off the coast of Odesa in Ukraine.

Akhil joined the Merchant Navy at the age of 19. He had been working aboard the cargo ship Golden Leo, owned by Mumbai-based Ocean Grace Shipping Limited, for the past six years. According to his relatives, he was planning to leave the company and take up a new job. He was the family's main breadwinner. His father Joyan runs an electrical shop, while his mother Sally is an insurance agent. The family had recently completed building their own house.

Akhil had returned home for his engagement just three months ago. His fiancée is from Alappuzha. The wedding was scheduled to take place in two months. After the engagement, Akhil returned to work the very next month. Apart from his career at sea, Akhil was also a talented tug-of-war athlete. He set a tug-of-war world record in 2023 and had been an outstanding player since his school days.

The Russian missile strike claimed the lives of 10 people, including four Indians. The other Indian victims were Gurpreet Singh Bhatt, Jagan Singh and Abhishek Nishad. The remaining victims included Syrian nationals and a Ukrainian citizen. Eight people, including Indian national Sebastian Blesan, were injured. A total of 18 crew members were on board the cargo ship when the vessel was struck by the missile.