KOCHI: The family members of two Ernakulam natives, who are among the 16 Indian crew members of the Norway-based ship MT Heroic Idun, are knocking on the doors of the government machinery seeking help for the release of their loved ones from foreign prison.
The ship was detained and its crew was arrested by the Navy of the West African country of Equatorial Guinea on August 12 for allegedly violating maritime boundaries.
They seem to be in a very bad situation if a video shared by a crew member is anything to go by. The news that the Nigerian authorities are trying to take the arrested crew to that country has the relatives back home worried.
Among the 16 crew members, three are Malayalis. Milton D’Couth is from Mulavukad and Sanu Jose is from Kadavanthra (both Ernakulam district) while Vijith V Nair is from Kollam.
In the video, a sailor is saying: “We were brought ashore after being promised that we would be housed at a hotel while investigations were being conducted. However, they separated us from our chief officer Sanu Jose. We were told that we would be taken to a hotel till the investigation is over. But that is not what happened.”
Meanwhile, Milton’s wife Sheetal said: “After the plight of the sailors was highlighted, the Indian embassy and also the agent of the shipping company provided food to the 16 crew members. But they have no information about the others who were on the ship with them. The crew was divided into two batches after officials of Navy of Equatorial Guinea boarded the ship.”
Sheetal had sought the help of Vypin MLA K N Unnikrishnan after her Milton contacted her and explained their situation. The MLA sought the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s help and also urged the Union government to intervene. “The health of the crew members is deteriorating with each passing day,” Sheetal said. She urged the Centre to help and get the crew released.
“They have been in prison for three months and as per the information received, they are suffering from health problems and stress,” said Unnikrishnan. He further said the efforts to get the crew released should be expedited since steps were being made to take them to Nigeria.
NIGERIAN NAVY: SHIP HAD NO CLEARANCE
On August 8, the vessel was scheduled to load a cargo of crude oil in Nigeria’s Akpo Oilfield terminal, but the operation got delayed and subsequently failed due to port instructions. Soon after that, the ship was approached by a hovercraft claiming to be of the Nigerian Navy. The crew were asked to follow them. The Nigerian Navy claimed the vessel entered the country’s maritime region without clearance and then tried to evade detention.
Pinarayi writes to PM
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his help in rescuing the crew. “Norwegian vessel MT Heroic Idun, with 26 seafarers including 16 Indians, is being held unlawfully in Equatorial Guinea since 14 August. Any further stay there would put their safety at risk. Wrote to the PM requesting urgent intervention for their release,” the CM tweeted.