ITF reports that the 12 seafarers onboard Qaaswa have been sent home, after 13 months marooned off the Port of Sfax. They had been left abandoned off the Tunisian coast with no wages, food and fuel.
The 12 crewmembers flew home to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar on May 31, with thousands of dollars in unpaid wages, with overall USD 130,952, for the eight months that they were owed.
ITF highlights that this case is one of the most notorious ones, concerning abandonment, and also about the third crew onboard the UAE-flagged tanker that have been finally repatriated after being abandoned by Alco Shipping Services.
These last three years, the ITF has been trying to help, repatriate and recover wages, while also provide the crew with provisions and drinking water.
Steve Trowsdale, ITF inspectorate coordinator noted that Alco Shipping Services has acted with impunity while the seafarers starved and suffered.
Today these brave seafarers finally have a resolution and are at home with their families
… Mr Trowsdale added.
Generally, seafarers’ abandonment causes serious problems to them and their families; The seafarers are abandoned in a foreign country with no money and food, while they also lack the ability to support their families.
In light of seafarers’ abandonment, India has blacklisted two shipping companies, amongst which is Alco Shipping Services.
ITF inspector and Arab World contact network lead Mohamed Arrachedi concluded that
Alco Shipping Services’ practices have no place in a modern maritime industry. We vow to remain vigilant, to remain alert to cases like this.
