Touching video for the six seafarers who lost their life
The Swanland, registered in the Cook Islands, sank in the Irish Sea off the coast of north Wales in November, 2011. This case has already received wide media coverage.
8 Russian crew members worked on board the Swanland (built 1978) and only two of them were rescued. They are Vitaliy Karpenko, AB, and Roman Savin, 2-nd Officer. Leonid Safonov, Chief Officer, was found dead later whilst searching for seafarers. As for the rest of the crew, they are missing.
MAIB inspectors have started their investigation into the loss of the ship. However, the reasons for sinking the vessel are still remained unknown.
The wave conditions were not the worst the vessel had ever experienced, says Alexander Bodnya, vice-president of the ITF-affiliated Seafarers’ Union of Russia.
“The lessons of the Swanland disaster should be learned”, he adds. “The ship was seaworthy and in compliance with international minimum requirements”.
The SUR shot a clip which -contains the seafarers’ photos in memory of the missing crew. For less than two weeks nearly 1000 people watched this video. It was hardly possible for us to expect such results. We wish to express our sincerest condolences to the missing crew’s family and relatives.
“The Swanland is covered by the ITF-approved collective agreement between SUR, RMT and TORBULK LTD”, he says.
“Necessary care and support have been provided in line with provisions of the CBA for the seafarers who were rescued at sea and the relatives of the missing crew. Thus, Vitaly Karpenko and Roman Savin were repatriated home at the shipowner’s expense”.
“TORBULK LTD which operates the vessel will pay compensation pursuant to the CBA. The United Kingdom-based owner operates about 8 ships crewed by Russian seafarers. TORBULK LTD have always been treating and paying the crew according to agreements on board”.
Source: BRO SUR
