On 23 December 12 of the 21 crewmembers from the DEBI, a vessel seized by Indian authorities nearly a year ago, were allowed to leave and return home.
Their release followed protests from the crew and multiple efforts by the shipping company, Asia Pacific Shipping Co., to secure the ship’s release. The crew was freed only after the company sent replacement crew members to take their place. The remaining crew will be released once their replacements arrive.
The DEBI was seized at Paradip Port in India about a year ago after arriving from Indonesia. A longshoreman noticed a suspicious package attached to the ship’s crane, which was found to contain 22 kilos of cocaine. As a result, Indian authorities detained both the ship and its crew.
Although no charges were filed against the crew, they were held for over a year, facing hardships, including having their electronics confiscated and being denied communication with their families. During this time as reported, one crew member jumped off the ship in what seemed to be a suicide attempt following an altercation, but was rescued.
An Indian court had ordered the sale of the ship and upheld its decision despite appeals. The crew remains detained on the ship due to the ongoing investigation, although no arrests have been made so far in connection with the case.
