Indian Sailor Stranded In Libya For 19 Months Is Finally Back Home
The seafarers’ organization, Maritime Union of India (MUI), helped an Indian sailor return home from Libya, where he had been stranded at a port. The MUI reportedly represents the Merchant Navy officers.
MUI on Wednesday mentioned that it was able to help an Indian seafarer return from a port in Libya where he was stranded after the ship owners ceased operating the vessel.
The seafarer named Roshan Raj spent 19 months on the ship in breach of the Maritime Labour Convention in 2006. The MUI mentioned that he was reportedly abandoned at Libya’s Misrata Port for nine months.
After his vessel was reportedly abandoned, Roshan Raj, who was employed on board MV East Express and had been sailing since February last year, was brought back home after the ship owners ceased vessel operations at Libya’s port of Misrata in January this year, MUI reported in its statement.
Raj had a difficult time on board, undergoing mental stress as he wasn’t paid his salary. Moreover, the ship’s owners could not offer any co-operation for a sign-off.
On board, the provisions were limited, and meals would be prepared just once daily, the Union alleged.
Per the Union, now led by Tushar Pradhan, the new general secretary, it maintained daily communication with relevant officials in Libya, the Indian embassy in Libya, the ITF, and Raj to facilitate his earliest return.
References: Hindustan Times, Inshorts
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