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10 Ukrainian seafarers of the M/V LPG/C Enigmagas to return to Odesa from Turkey 18 June
15:51 / 15.06.2012

ODESA, JUNE 15th, 2012, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE ― 10 Ukrainian seafarers of the M/V LPG/C Enigmagas, currently engaged in a labour conflict with their employer who refuses to pay their wages, will return to Odesa from Turkey 18 June, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

Charitable organization Aid Foundation for Seafarers Assol informed today, 15 June.

According to their report, for the first time in the fund heard about the problems of the LPG Enigmagas (flagged Panama) crew on November 22, 2011. Then the sailors were trying to get their wages. It was reported that another crew were to arrive on board, therefore, the former crew declared a strike. The presiding officers of the strike have been maintaining constant communication with the representative of the ITF in London. At first, he assured the sailors that their demands were legitimate, and they would get all the money and would be repatriated back home, and he was ready to sue the shipowner in Panama. However, a group of unidentified people broke through onboard the ship, as a result of the brawl the crew were sent ashore. Later, the ship lying at the port of Kerch under the flag of Panama, was hijacked by the unknown. Eleven crew members were forced to leave the ship. ITF abandoned the seafarers. The Crewing Company Pan Shipping hired a new crew, assuring them that the previous crew had signed a faulty contract, while with this new contract the sailors were not in danger. But the sailors who had worked for 3.5 months, only got their wages for one week. On March 21, 2012 rthe crew went on strike.

“Only a month later, 24 April, 2012, ITF representative Muzafer Civelik and a lawyer arrived onboard the vessel. The crew were told that the vessel would be detained, they would be repatriated to their country of residence by maximum 4 May. From April 24 to date, 10 Ukrainians, as well as citizens of Latvia and Georgia have not met their lawyer again. ITF recommended them to do the following: leave the ship and proceed to the port for talks with the consignees, port authorities, ship owner and the representative of the ITF. 25 May, 2012 the crew headed to the port of Aliaga for negotiations. Neither the shiponer’s representatives nor the representatives of the ITF attended the meeting. At that time it was known that the vessel was under arrest at the suit brought by creditors, bunkering, and the claim of seamen are still in court is not filed. Do sailors ran out of fuel, food and water

13 June, the charitable organization received a letter from the lawyer stating that the conflict had been resolved and the crew could leave the vessel, and the Fund, in turn, can address the issue of repatriation of the 10 Ukrainian sailors.