Hifa Saleem in the shadow of death: Stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, Kerala girl witnesses firsthand the rain of missiles – ..

For Haifa Salim, a 24-year-old young marine engineer from Kerala who started her Merchant Navy career from Houston in October 2025, it was just a normal duty, but who knew that within a few months she would have to face the most terrifying scene of her life. When the war raged in the Persian Gulf, Haifa’s ship got stuck near the ‘Strait of Hormuz’. This was the period when missiles were passing like death in the sky. Hifa saw the missiles flashing in real life for the first time with her own eyes, which shook her to the core.

Fear of missiles in the sky and trembling hands

For Haifa, who came to the deck of the ship to get fresh air, that scene of a few seconds became a dreadful memory for life. His hands started trembling after seeing the rapid movement of missiles in the sky. The fear was so deep in his mind that he decided to leave his job and return home. She ran towards the crew mess room in panic, but the sight there changed her world. He saw that his senior officers were having breakfast very calmly and laughing. At that moment Hifa told herself that if her seniors could control their fear, so could she.

New example of ship’s heartbeat and courage

At the same time, the sound of the ship’s main engine was heard, which Hifa felt was not like the usual ‘tuck-tuck’, but like a heartbeat. They realized that the ship was alive and they were not alone in their predicament. When the ship’s second engineer saw Hifa’s frightened face and heard her decision to stop, he smiled and said, “The five saabs have become stronger now, let’s start the work together.” This incident not only ended Hifa’s fear but also gave him a new strength. The interesting thing was that Hifa did not tell her parents about this fear, and her parents also deliberately remained calm on the phone so that their daughter does not panic.

India’s sting in marine engineering

Haifa, who made her mark in the Merchant Navy from Edakkazhiyur town in Thrissur district, is an inspiration for thousands of Indians who are making the country proud amidst the waves of the sea. According to statistics, India is the third largest concentration of seafarers in the world today. India has 3.23 lakh seafarers by 2024, and every fifth seafarer in the world is Indian. During this war, about 550 Indian sailors displayed extraordinary courage and served in a dangerous area like the Strait of Hormuz for more than 100 days. This experience of Haifa Salim is an untold story of courage, patience and standing firm in adverse circumstances.