Abandoned on ship, stranded and starved Indian seafarers send out SOS saying vessel could sink

Abandoned on ship, stranded and starved Indian seafarers send out SOS saying vessel could sink
Ch Sushil Rao | May 26, 2019 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/abandoned-on-ship-stranded-and...

HYDERABAD: Two Indian sailors practically abandoned on a merchant ship off the UAE coast in the Persian Gulf have sent out an SOS. The sailors who have been on board for 31 months surviving against odds have said they are in danger with the possibilities of the ship even sinking. During the nights, the ship is in blackout as there is no fuel.

“The vessel is not in command and the main engine generator is also not working. It is extremely dangerous for our lives and for the vessel also,” said Vikas Mishra from the ship MV Tamim Aldar told TOI. Vikas Mishra is a second engineer on the ship. There is another sailor along with him on the ship who is from Tamil Nadu. Vikas Mishra is from UP.

Survival on the ship has become difficult for the sailors as they are barely managing to cook something for themselves using some pieces of wood. Since there is hardly any fuel on the ship, they cannot use a cooker to cook for themselves. They have also posted a photograph on Twitter of themselves cooking abroad the ship using some available sticks as firewood.

They would rather charge their mobile in the little time they can get so say in touch with the world outside and inform the world about their conditions. Vikas Mishra has also not been paid salary for the last 26 months. The sailors are on a way owned by Elite Way Marine Services and were recruited by Rassiya Shipping Services Pvt Ltd, Mumbai. Last year, the Ministry of Shipping also took up the issue of abandoned seafarers with the recruitment agency as the seafarers brought their plight to the notice of the ministry.

In an audio message to TOI from aboard the ship, Vikas Mishra said it was a life-threatening situation for them on the ship. “There is a danger of the ship sinking as the vessel is not in command,” he said.

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Definitely he will overhaul the party and send them to Sri Lanka.

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There were others also on the ship but they have been given a settlement by the shipping company for which they were working. However, Vikas Mishra who said he was the first to raise the concerns of the abandoned seafarers on the ship and about their non-payment of salaries, has expressed his sadness at he still being on board. “We are struggling for drinking water,” Vikas Mishra said in one of his many tweets. He hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi would resolve their issue.

The Consul General of India in Dubai responded to Vikas Mishra and said: “We have been in regular touch with you and hope that like several others of Elite Way, you will be repatriated in next few days. As for your food issue, we'll try to send supplies soon.” CGI Dubai and ‘Mission to Seafarers’ has been delivering them provisions so that they do not starve.