Russian seamen request repatriation

Nine Russian seamen, who have been stranded in Sligo without pay for the past 10 weeks, have requested repatriation to their home country.

The sailors are owed 38,000 in wages from the Russian company which employs them and owns their 2,000 tonne vessel "The Keeper".

The sailors have been surviving on supplies onboard the boat for the past two and a half months.

Tony Ayton from the International Transport Federation here has been negotiating with the company to have the men brought home.

"A number of them have expressed a desire for my organisation to arrange their repatriation to their home country. They said they have lost confidence in the company and want to resign and be repatriated," he said.