The crew of MV Seaman Guard Ohio await a final judgement date in May
No news is sad news from India, as the crew of MV Seaman Guard Ohio await a final judgement date in May.
Revd Canon Ken Peters, Director of Justice and Public Affairs, The Mission to Seafarers, said: “The Supreme Court in India reviewed the case of the crew of the Seaman Guard Ohio and the judge has agreed that no more depositions can be made by any parties. He will review all the evidence and make a final judgement in the next 10-14 days. The families are deeply disappointed that the final outcome has not been made known today but are now reassured that a judgement will be forthcoming before the courts in India adjourn for their annual Summer Recess on 15 May. We continue to hope and pray that this traumatic matter which is now in the 559th day for the crew being held now has the real prospect of a resolution in the next few weeks.
Revd Paul Burt, Director of South Asia and The Gulf, The Mission to Seafarers visited the men in Chennai India a few weeks ago. He said: “Being trapped in a Kafkaesque nightmare has taken its toll on the British crew members of the anti-piracy vessel Seaman Guard Ohio’. The nightmare takes the form of having had all charges levelled at them by the Indian security forces quashed by the High Court in July 2014, but not being allowed to leave India and return home to their families.
Sitting in a shopping centre in suburban Chennai the men looked tired and drawn. Their conversation swings from matter of fact descriptions of how they ended up in the nightmare and of their daily struggle to carry on hoping. I asked them how they spend their time. Emailing those at home who continue to care about us, meeting up to have a cup of tea together, and lying on the bed wondering whether we will ever get out of this place.’ Occasionally a flash of Scouse humour lights up Paul Tower’s reflections on their predicament. It reassures me that they still have some inner resources to bring to bear on their situation.
News from the court in India on 28 April was another stage on their long journey but I hope and pray that we can look forward to good news from India in May.“
The Mission to Seafarers has been supporting the crew with pastoral visits in India via MtS Tuticorin and making representations to government for families and crew at the highest level in the UK.
Source and Image Credit: The Mission to Seafarers
