Stranded ship crew8217;s lost hope

The wife of ship8217;s captain, Victor Nikolaev, broke into tears as the proceeding at the Sheriff8217;s office came to an abrupt stop. She had hoped that the money raised through the auction would be able to buy them their passage home. The captain himself looked crestfallen as he led his crew back to the ship. The realisation that their last asset, the ship, was not worth the amount they had hoped it would be, weighing them down.

For the 1826-tonnes Antigua flagged M V Flamingo problems started when it arrivedat Mumbai port in November 1997 with a cargo of paper roll. The ship was arrested by the International Transport Workers8217; Federation ITF after its Black Sea-based owner, Markos Shipping Co, refused to pay the crew its dues.

Since then, it has been there. Initially, they didn8217;t have anything to eat onboard. However, that problem was sorted out when ITF officials in Mumbai came to their rescue and promised to provide them food and water every day.

Captain Nikolaev and his six-member crew, which includes a chief officer and a 2nd officer, do all the cooking, cleaning and the general maintenance work onboard. quot;Initially there were 25 members onboard, but most of them have deserted the ship. I can8217;t even do that. I am the captain8230;I am responsible for the entire crew,quot; Captain Nikolaev said.

While they get food here, thanks to friends, they have no idea how their families are surviving. quot;We have no money to spend or remit to our families in Russia,quot; a crew member said.

ITF inspector Maruti Ratekar toldExpress Newsline that the vessel was put up for auction to raise money for settling the crew8217;s dues. Their company owes them around 200,000 and has already raised up its hands. But now, with the first attempt failing, there is little hope for another three months.