THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Weeks after reports revealed the plight of 41 Indian sailors stranded on board four merchant vessels off UAE coast, the situation has worsened.
Now, crew members are facing a life and death scenario four days after MV Rock, one of the four vessels, anchored off Ajman Port grounded. The development has scared the crew on board MV Salem and MT Enjaz I.
“The seas have been rough for some time now. Efforts to rescue MV Rock proved futile,” said a crew member.
The vessels have not been allowed to move to the port. And with no salaries paid since long, the crew is not ready to leave the vessels.
Sharing their experiences, crew members said owners were dilly-dallying in clearing their pending salaries.
“The absence of clear promises from the ship management is preventing us from making up our minds. They said salaries would be paid if given time till February. Indian Embassy has taken up the issue,” said a senior crew member, seeking anonymity. “Some of us have about 17 months’ salary pending,” the member added. Sources said the managements had even asked the crew not to communicate with the media.
“Procedures are moving at snail’s pace. The owners have asked us to go home. How can we, when our salaries are pending?” wondered another crew member. All crew members felt the more pressure should be put on UAE government.
Families worried
The absence of proper information about their kins’ whereabouts, coupled with the broken communication with them, has added to the worries of the already-distraught families of the crew members.
“We have been trying to get in touch with my brother and are able to talk to him once in a while. His three months’ salary is pending. We have pinned our hopes on the Indian Embassy,” said Yaser Arafat, brother of U Amanulla (from Androth islands in the Lakshadweep), who is on board MT Enjaz I.
The situation of Dehradun-based Sumeet, brother of Anoop Pathak, who is Master with MV Salem, is no better.
“We have been trying to get information about the situation. While we do get connected to him over phone, ambiguity remains. We are hoping the Indian Embassy and sailors forums would take necessary steps,” Sumeet told ‘Express’. Anoop’s salary, it is learnt, is also pending since several months.
Embassy, Ministry active
Unlike similar situations in the past, the Indian Embassy and External Affairs Ministry are actively taking up the issue. However, jurisdiction is proving to be a hurdle, as none of the vessels are UAE flagged nor are they anchored in UAE’s territorial water. “Hence, officials are facing certain restrictions in acting,” pointed out Manoj Joy of Sailors Society.