MADURAI
With the whereabouts of Indian seafarers who went missing after a fire accident involving two ships along Russian coast yet to be ascertained, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday expressed its displeasure against the authorities.
A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and S. S. Sundar asked the Centre to tell the court if the missing seafarers would be traced or not. It sought details of the terms of their employment with the shipping company and insurance coverage. The case was adjourned till April 24 for further hearing.
Earlier, the Centre had informed the court that it was in constant touch with the Russian authorities to ascertain the whereabouts of the missing Indian seafarers.
The petitioner, R. Sahaya Vinoth of Kanniyakumari, sought a direction to the Centre to trace and rescue his friend Sebastian Britto Breezlin Sahayaraj and Avinash, both from Kanniyakumari, who went missing in the fire accident.
In January, two fuel ships – an oil tanker and a liquefied natural gas carrier – went ablaze while transferring fuel in the Kerch Strait off Russian coast. At least six Indians were killed and an equal number of Indians went missing in the accident.