93 Goan seafarers stranded off Mumbai coast pin hopes on CM

Management of the particular vessel had initiated conversation with the Goa government to inquire about the possibility of bringing the vessel to Goa so that Goan crew on board their ship may return to their family and their homes, however fearing the spread of the dreaded coronavirus, the government had turned down their request

NT NETWORK

Panaji

Days after the request to allow 93 Goan seafarers onboard cruise ship ‘Karnika’ to disembark at a Goa port was turned down by the government, the seafarers have now written to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant seeking help to return back home.

The seafarers said that the particular ship has not had a single case of coronavirus or a suspect till date since the disease outbreak last year and claimed that no crew member on board ‘Karnika’ has shown any symptoms of COVID-19

They claimed that upon reaching Mumbai on March 12, all the crew members were medically cleared by the seaport public health office.

The vessel Karnika arrived in Mumbai on March 12, from Dubai without any passengers, with 600-odd crew and has been in India ever since. Around 130 crew members disembarked on March 31 after taking required permission from the concerned local authorities. Currently, 490 members including 93 Goans are reported to be onboard the cruise ship.

The management of the particular vessel had initiated conversation with the Goa government to inquire about the possibility of bringing the vessel to Goa so that Goan crew on board their ship may return to their family and their homes, however fearing the spread of the dreaded coronavirus, the government turned down their request.

“Due to various travel advisories and also in order to support the efforts to curtail spread of COVID-19, the owner/operator of ship, as a precautionary measure, decided to take it to an outer anchorage of Mumbai as a self-imposed quarantine,” states the letter which is duly signed by 93 crew members.

They said that the 14-day self-imposed quarantine ended on March 26.

“Our families in Goa are in a frightened state due to COVID-19 situation and all are eagerly awaiting our return,” the seafarers said urging Sawant to assist them for their repatriation at the earliest. 

Meanwhile, expressing dissatisfaction over the attitude of Goa government towards the plight of Goan seafarers stranded over international waters, founder president of Goa seamen association of India Dixon Vaz on Monday said that they have lost hope adding, “If they  return back in regular flights post lockdown, it would be very difficult for the government to track them.”

Speaking to media persons in Margao, Vaz said that the government should not then blame the seafarer for any untoward situation. He said that ninety-eight per cent of seafarers require isolation and not quarantine centre where medical attention is given.

Vaz said, “I am of strong opinion that the Prime Minister is not briefed properly on the issue of Goan stranded seafarers by the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Shipping. If he was briefed by Goa government in all seriousness, then the PM would have by now have seen to it that the stranded seafarers are brought back, as it has been done students, pilgrims stuck up in other countries in view of COVID-19.’’

Vaz further claimed that he had met the North Goa MP Shripad Naik to make arrangement of military aircraft to bring back he stranded seamen, “but nothing was done.”