Considered the largest sea evacuation of refugees on a cargo ship, the MV Safeer played a critical role during the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. On September 4, 1990, MV Safeer, embarked from Shuwaikh Port with 722 Indians on board, mostly women and children. This Panama-registered cargo ship, owned by the late Captain Ibrahim Modak, Captain Viraf Kekobad and a third party, was initially docked at Shuwaikh Port, discharging a cargo of bagged rice, when Saddam Hussein attacked Kuwait on August 2, 1990.

The MV Safeer found itself trapped in the war zone with no means of communication. The primary concern for the vessel’s owners was the safety of the crew and the ship itself. The most significant challenge was negotiating the ship’s release through the intervention of the Indian government and the Iraqi authorities. This operation involved the Indian shipping industry, New Delhi, the Indian Navy, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait, the Indian mission in Dubai, Iraqi authorities, Dubai police, immigration departments, vessel owners, the ship’s captains and the dedicated crew of the MV Safeer.

Indian refugees from Iraq and Kuwait are seen Oct 8, 1990 waiting to board buses at Al-Andalus camp to go back home.

Picture taken on Aug 17, 1990 shows a general view of the Iraq-Jordan Ruwaished border checkpoint crowded by cars abd buses as thousands of foreigners flee the war in Iraq and Kuwait.

Turkish workers cross the Turkish-Iraqi border on Aug11, 1990 at Habur as they return home from Kuwait via Iraq.

Antonio Coelho

Kuwait Times spoke to Captain Kekobad about the challenges his team faced over the evacuation and whether they received any rewards for their humanitarian mission. “We have the blessings of 722 Indian nationals who were safely evacuated from war-torn Kuwait and reunited with their loved ones. They are grateful that they got a new lease on life. We thank the Almighty for granting our vessel a safe passage, and that was our biggest reward,” he said.

The Bollywood movie Airlift, released in January 2016, portrayed the captain of the ship as taking money from the helpless evacuees caught in the war. To set the record straight, the owners made a documentary titled Mission Safeer: 37 Days to Freedom, available for free on YouTube. It has won many Indian and international awards across four continents.

Picture taken on Aug 27, 1990 shows South Asian refugees from Iraq and Kuwait arriving at Amman airport.

Picture taken on Aug 31, 1990 in a camp in Ruweished near the Iraqi-Jordan border shows Filipino refugees holding a placard asking for help.

Picture taken on Sept 9, 1990 at Amman airport shows Bangladeshi refugees sitting in a Soviet Antonov plane chartered by the UN and the IOM.

Picture taken on Aug 25, 1990 shows an Egyptian refugee family washing while crossing the Ruwaished border between Iraq and Jordan to flee the war.

Officers and crew of MV Safeer.

Captain Kekobad emphasized that this mission was a glaring example of the collective efforts of Indians from all walks of life, coming together selflessly to make this humanitarian mission a resounding success. The mission was carried out free of cost and was recognized in the Limca Book of Records in 2019.

Captain Kekobad’s prized possession is a letter of recognition from the then External Affairs Joint Secretary, K P Fabian. It reads: “This is to confirm that the Government of India did not pay your company any amounts towards the evacuation process of Indian nationals who were carried aboard MV Safeer. We are indeed grateful to you for having safely carried over 700-plus Indians from Kuwait under Iraqi occupation to Dubai.”