Six missing Iranian crew of cargo ship found aboard a tug

RAJKOT: The six Iranian crew members who had abandoned their cargo ship at Mul Dwarka port in Gir Somnath district after it was told to move out of the port owing to cyclone Vayu, have been found moving in a tug in the Arabian Sea. They have been identified as Mehrdad Timaji, Mohammad Raeisi Jahromi, Babak Hajiani, Ebrahim Omidi and Sajjad Masoudi. As per law if any crew abandons the ship, the marine police takes them into custody. However, the procedure to bring them on land from the sea is a labyrinthine process. Therefore, Gujarat Marine Police informed the shipping company which appointed a legal agent to handle with their transfer procedures.
According to International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) sources, after the intervention of Kandla Seafarers Welfare Association (KSWA), these six men can now go back to their country within 2-3 days.
A cargo ship from Iran reached Mul Dwarka port a few days ago. This GMB operated port is majorly used for importing coal and exporting cement. However, looking at the cyclonic situation and to avoid damages to the jetty from docked vessels, the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) asked the MV Seashell to go back to mid sea. However, these six crew members, who are Iranian nationals, refused to go back with their ship claiming it to be ‘defective’.
According to Mukesh Vasu, administrator of the KSWA, who is also helping these six men reach home, After the ship returned to its country of origin, the family members of these six missing crew members informed the ITF and we started a search. Vasu is also ITF inspector at Kandla.
In the meantime an owner of a tug which goes to supply cargo to the ship informed police that six Iranian crew members were on board the tug for the last five days. “The police then informed GMB which instructed the tug to keep the men inside the tug,” said Vasu.
“The shipping company has appointed an agent who is completing the formalities and the six men will return home within two-three days. Till that time all facilities have been arranged for their stay. We were also ready to provide financial assistance if required,” he added.