Mumbai: 7 crew members stuck on Panama flag vessel, fear for their lives in monsoon

The crew members stuck on the ship

Seven crew members stuck on a Panama flag vessel, Ocean Explorer, asked to anchor at Mumbai High by the Port State Control, fear for their lives in the monsoon, as both engines of the ship don't function. They are afraid the anchor chain may break and they will drift to the sea as they are unable to control the vessel. The Port State Control had directed the vessel be anchored after the on board crew members complained that they had not received salaries since November 2021, when the vessel first anchored due to two unwell crew members.

"Ocean Explorer is an Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessel. Both its main engines are lying non-operational for months and its other machinery has also broken down. The vessel is completely unseaworthy and poses a threat to human life onboard," said Ravikumar Kaliveetil, the onboard chief engineer.

"It has been pouring non-stop and the wind is very strong. We cannot sleep properly as there is massive rolling and pitching in the vessel. What if the sea breaks the anchor chain? The vessel will drift in the sea and we won't be able to control it. Please help us disembark from the vessel and save our lives," Kaliveetil told mid-day.

The reason for anchoring

The vessel has been anchored since November 2021 at the Princess and Victoria channel at Mumbai Port, hardly 4km from the Gateway of India, when two crew members had complained of serious health issues. The unwell crew members were let off after being given full salaries in April. Along with them, nine other members who completed their duty period were also let off after being paid salaries.

However, the remaining seven crew members complained to the Port State Control that they were not paid salaries since November. Hence the Panama flag vessel was told to anchor at Mumbai High, until the owner cleared their dues, said Abhijeet Sangle, Working President of All India Seafarers Union.

"Now, per day anchorage charge is costing Ocean Explorer's Dubai-based owner a bomb, and he has cited bankruptcy. The issue was taken to Bombay High Court which gave an order to auction the vessel, so that the port charges as well as salary of onboard crew members can be paid," said Sangle.

"We demand the safety of crew, their medical insurance and salary clearance with sign off process as soon as possible. Despite writing to the DG Shipping seeking all this in April, there has been no response," Sangle said. Except its Syrian captain Mohammad Al Husseini, rest of the six crew members are Indians. Kaliveetil told mid-day that the captain's passport has expired.

Crew members' woes

"My daughter was set to get married on June 26 but I didn't know when I will disembark so we had to postpone her wedding," Chief Officer Kanwar Singh said.

Singh's daughter Priyanka said her family had to incur a loss of Rs 10 lakh as her wedding was postponed. "Everything was planned, we had booked the wedding hall, placed orders for snacks, food, hotel booking for guests, DJs, etc. But because my father is stuck, I could not think of getting married without him," she said. "Another crew member, Jafarrtaj Mujawar's mother was sick, and admitted to a hospital, but he could not go to see her. Now he is depressed," said Kaliveetil.

The 25-year-old wife of another crew member, Mukesh Bari, said she cannot pay the house rent as he is unable to send money. "We live in Kandivli West. I have two children including a 10-month-old toddler. My husband had boarded the ship only for two months but now he is forced to overstay," said Chandani Devi. Third Engineer Pradeep Kumar Kumaresan was set to get married last month.

Asked about the issue, this is the reply mid-day received. "When a ship is under arrest, the court ensures that salary is distributed to the crew from the sale proceeds of the ship. This is the job of the sheriff," Amitabh Kumar, Director General of Shipping, on behalf of Directorate General of Shipping, Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways, said.