Watchdog seeks arrest of Latvian ship over debt to crew

THE International Transport Federation (ITF) was last night seeking the arrest of a Latvian ship in a Cork port for the second time in less than a year as it emerged the crew were owed in excess of $100,000 (€80,000).

The Defender, with a crew of seven Ukrainians and two Russians, came into port in Passage West with a cargo of timber yesterday. The International Transport Federation, acting on a tip-off, boarded the boat and spoke to its crew members. He found out that some of the men had not been paid for up to six months. The captain had not been paid in seven months.

With a salary of $5,500 (e4,400) per month, he was owed $38,500. Of the nine crew, eight signed over power of attorney to the ITF’s Ken Fleming to allow him to seek payment of the wages.