A 22-year-old senior merchant navy cadet from Dehradun, Karandeep Singh Rana, has gone missing aboard a cargo vessel en route to China, according to his family. The incident, which occurred around 20 September, has sparked concern in Uttarakhand and prompted calls for a full investigation.
Our correspondent reports that Karandeep Singh Rana was employed as a senior deck cadet on the vessel MT Front Princess, which had commenced its voyage from Singapore and was scheduled to sail via Sri Lanka and Iraq heading toward China. The family says that he boarded the ship in Singapore on 18 August.
According to the family, the last contact made with Karandeep was around midday on 20 September, when he assured relatives that everything was fine. Later that night, officials from ship management informed his family that he was unaccounted for—no one knew where he had gone on the vessel or off it. A search on board over four days yielded no result.
Our correspondent adds that the vessel has already reached China, and authorities have initiated inquiries there. The Directorate General of Shipping has reportedly involved two family members in the investigation to gather testimony and trace his movements. The ship’s captain, chief officer and other senior officers underwent formal interviews soon after the disappearance.
Karandeep’s family hails from Rudraprayag but has resided in Dehradun’s Patel Nagar. His father, Narendra Singh Rana, told local media that when the disappearance was confirmed at 9:30 pm on 20 September, the family immediately approached DG Shipping. He added that the missing cadet had previously worked on other vessels. Karandeep was reportedly preparing for promotion to Third Officer.
Our correspondent reports that the last items recovered from the site included one of Karandeep’s shoes and a camera, which were allegedly found somewhere on the ship, though no official documentation links them conclusively to his disappearance. His sister, Simran, said the ship’s chief cook was the last to claim seeing him before he vanished.
The family has appealed for support from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the central government and maritime authorities. They also lodged requests on official portals seeking assistance in tracing Karandeep. Museum incharges and local officials have assured cooperation.
Our correspondent adds that the missing cadet’s case has drawn attention on social media, where appeals for help and awareness have circulated widely. The family hopes that transparency and involvement of their members in the inquiry will speed resolution and provide closure.
With no confirmed updates yet, the search continues under the scrutiny of domestic and international maritime agencies.
