Cleric speaks out for crew abandoned on boat for two months

THE State was criticised yesterday for allowing four Pakistani crewmen to remain abandoned on board a trawler which has been detained at a mooring off a Cork port for almost two months.

Canon David Williams, the rector of St Multose Church in Kinsale, Co Cork, and honorary chaplain of the Mission to Seafarers, described the State’s attitude to the Lucky Star vessel as “appalling”.

The men, who were abandoned by their captain and the vessel’s Greek owners, have been trapped on the 35m vessel, moored off Kinsale harbour, since mid March.

One of the younger men has a facial tumour which requires urgent medical attention. They have not been paid for five months, and have been relying on locals for food and water.

The humanitarian effort has been coordinated by Canon Williams, Harbour Master Phil Devitt, with support from the local branch of the Society of St Vincent de Paul and the Chamber of Tourism.

“I wrote to Transport Minister Noel Dempsey on April 27 asking that a safe berth be provided for this vessel in Cork Harbour,” Canon Williams said.

“I got an email reply saying that it is up to the vessel’s flag state, Tanzania, to deal with this issue. But that is factually incorrect under the Convention of the Seas.”

He said the significant issues surrounding the vessel should be dealt with in a humanitarian setting.

Canon Williams comments came as efforts to save the men were stepped up yesterday. International Transport Federation (ITF) official Ken Fleming met the men on board the vessel yesterday. He said despite the local support, he was very concerned by what he saw.

He said there is evidence to suggest the vessel may have been used for human trafficking and he called a full investigation by Garda immigration officers.

“Their situation is hopeless. Our priority now is get the men off the vessel,” Mr Fleming said.

“But this situation requires an urgent investigation. This is a five-man vessel. I found 30 life-jackets and five survival suits on board.

“All the ship’s documents from before December 6, 2008, when this crew came on board, have been destroyed.

“All the fishing gear on board has been decommissioned. There are no nets on board.”

He also said he has details from a foreign handling agent who dealt with the ship saying it has processed up to 25 crewmen for the ship.

Papers show that 10 additional crew members joined the ship in Iceland, spent three days on board and then “disappeared”.

“There is no doubt in my mind what was going on here,” Mr Fleming said, adding everything points to the abuse of transit visas.

Attempts to contact the ship’s Greek owners proved fruitless and is now liaising with the Pakistani embassy to act upon their commitment to facilitate the mens’ repatriation.

The men, chief officer, Iqbal Azhar, engineer, Zulfiqar Mohammed, the oiler, Muhammad Asif Choudry, and able seaman, Ali Safadar, have been examined by doctors and there are concerns for their health. They have two weeks’ oil left.