Chennai: Sailor's family hopes for his return

Chennai: Wife Sumitra should be the saddest person on earth, at this moment. Only a miracle, by way of a word from the rescue team that Muthu has been picked up alive from the choppy sea, can bring back a smile on her sobbing face.

The 32-year-old housewife is unable to control crying even as her four-year-old son Anbuselvan keeps asking for his father. Rahul, his brother, elder by three years, lay in bed perhaps aware there is something amiss but not knowing how to react since he is a mentally challenged and a paraplegic.

R. Muthukrishnan, a 36-year-old sailor with Navy was one among the 29 passengers on board the Port Blair bound IAF AN—32 from Chennai, which went missing in the Bay of Bengal on Friday morning.

One-and-a-half days have gone by, after Muthukrishnan who was on official duty, left his home here for Andaman and Nicobar. A thick veil of sorrow descended on Muthukrishnan’s family since news came out and  the family has shut itself in a cocoon, which is understandable considering the grief caused. “They are asked not to interact with the media by Air Force officials”, says a source.

Anxious relatives and neighbors have gathered in small groups in front of block no.30 of CPWD quarters on Kamaraj Salai, where his familyhas been residing for the last four years.

A native of Chembur in Thottukudi, Muthukrishnan was posted to Andaman three  months ago.  “It was on July 16 he came to Chennai and stayed with his family for a couple of days”, says Rajkumar a relative of Sumithra.

“He was upset about Rahul’s illness. The family stayed back in Chennai for treatment of Rahul”, he added. The fate of a Dornier aircraft, which earlier went missing and later found wrecked upsets Muthukrishanan’s family members.
Meanwhile, relatives of Muthukrishnan allege that the media was intruding into their privacy.

“Your speculations are upsetting and hurting my family members”, says Marimuthu, Muthukrishnan’s younger brother. We know the government is doing its best, but no trace of the aircraft till now, even after putting their maximum effort. This is really worrying, he added.