By Chaminda Silva

Five remaining crew members onboard deteriorating Indian flagged vessel the MV Sai Arambh in Colombo Harbour are in severe distress as they have been disowned by their owner and those responsible and survive thanks to meagre assistance by the Mission to Seafarers, says Captain of the ship, Mushtaq Ahamed Kapade.

Speaking to The Sunday Island, Capt Kapade said that their shipowner had abandoned them on Oct 18, 2019. “I joined as the Master of the ship which left Vishakapatnam on Sept 24, 2019 to Tuticorin Port in Tamil Nadu. We had to cut our journey midway due to engine troubles that we experienced off Sangamankanda Light House on Oct 2, 2019. We sought the assistance from Colombo Harbour, the nearest to us then.

“A tug boat was called, and it towed the ship to the Colombo port, which we reached on Oct, 18, 2019. We had 19 crew members- all Indians – on board. None of the crew had been paid their salaries yet. Several weeks later the owners of the ship came to Colombo and their representative assured the crew that their salaries would be paid and ship would be repaired. They left us here but nothing promised happened despite our letters and reminders,” Capt Kapade said.

He said that as the owners did not pay the salaries and bills of repair the crew resorted to legal action filing a complaint against the owners. Following the complaint the Lankan authorities seized the ship on Jan 29, 2020. Now there is a case against the owners before the Colombo HighCourt. As the legal proceedings dragged on most our crew members returned to India by themselves using whatever means they could.Only six finally remained on board the ship which is reportedly abandoned since Oct 18, 2019. On March 29, 2022 the cook of the ship drowned when he fell into the sea as he was attempting to negotiate the ship’s badly damaged gangway to go ashore.

“Authorities responsible have neglected to attend to this issue citing various reasons. Now there are problems such as deteriorating crew health, safety, and welfare conditions onboard, including limited access to fresh food and potable water, Capt Kapade said.

He added that none of the members of the crew nor he have been paid insurance or the minimum wage, pointing out the injustice of the situation. “Three years have passed but we are still stuck here unable to see our families. At the time the Lankan authorities took us in following a warrant issued by the Colombo High Court.

The shipping company owed us outstanding wages of SLR 7.18 million which continues to accrue. We have no help but whatever assistance extended to us by the Mission to Seafarers in Colombo. The ship is in a dilapidated condition. Its floor plates are so corroded that there are holes through the deck, and we have holes in the galley which leaks, the skylight to the engine room is leaking water, and the hold hatches are heavily corroded. Its roofs are leaking,” he said.Capt Kapade said that the ship could be auctioned by the Lankan authorities and with the money due to the crew and repair cost could be settled by the proceeds. But the ship’s owners appealed against the auction prolonging their agony.