Thursday, 29 July 2010

Ship arrives in Algeciras with 16 crew: no fuel, no pay, no electricity

ALGECIRAS
(Photo: UGT) The Sierra Leone-registered cargo ship 'Eastern Planet' arrived in Algeciras last Thursday, brought in by tugs because she had no fuel with which to steer. It took her two months to get here, on her way  from Turkey to the Congolese port of Matabi. However, lack of fuel means that there is no electrivcity on board, so food cannot be kept. Local unions, the Red Cross and Cáritas, the Catholic charity, have been supplying the crew of 16 (12 Ukranians, 2 Russians and 1 Georgian) with the bare necessities. The ship is anchored outside the Isla Verde complex. Some crew members have not been paid for 6 months. The ship's agent, MH Bland, of Gibraltar, says that the owner has asked for 48 hours to come up with funds. In the meantime, the crew has asked for candles as they are in total darkness.

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