Eight crew members from Indonesia, who’re stuck on their vessel for nearly six months now and without pay at the Kaohsiung Port, are seeking help head home to their family members, per a local priest on Tuesday.

The men were unable to leave the cargo vessel since it was towed into the Kaohsiung Port on 23 Feb after it reportedly lost power days earlier when it was close to the territorial waters of Taiwan, Kaohsiung-based Stella Maris Chaplin Father whose name is Ansensius Guntur, CS, informed the CNA.

The 74.07-meter vessel, with a tonnage of about 1,395 tons, is reportedly a Togo-registered cargo vessel. It is owned by a Hong Kong firm, per its Provisional Certificate Registry shared by sailors.

In addition to not having received salaries since February, the men are not permitted to leave the vessel following local but stringent Covid-specific protocols and border protection rules, Guntur mentioned, further adding that it has impacted their mental health.

 

He also said that what’s worrying is that the crew members are becoming depressed. The ship’s captain mentioned the same and asked what he could do.

Fauzan Salihin, the captain, informed the CNA in a text message that he and his crew members require help to come back to their families who are in Indonesia.

In addition to not having received salaries since February, the men are not permitted to leave the vessel following local but stringent Covid-specific protocols and border protection rules, Guntur mentioned, further adding that it has impacted their mental health.

He also said that what’s worrying is that the crew members are becoming depressed. The ship’s captain mentioned the same and asked what he could do.

Fauzan Salihin, the captain, informed the CNA in a text message that he and his crew members require help to come back to their families who are in Indonesia.

Efforts will be established continually to try to get in touch with the ship owner so that a new crew may be sent to Taiwan and the original can be back home, the bureau informed.

The owner of the ship has until now been non-compliant and non-cooperative. This has resulted in the crew being unable to be back at their homes, the bureau highlighted.

If the owner of the ship keeps ignoring such requests, the Maritime and Port Bureau shall conduct a meeting during the first half of August 2022 with the Taiwan International Ports Cooperation, National Immigration Agency, and the Indonesian Representative Office based in Taipei to discuss strategies to send these sailors home, the bureau reported.

References: Focus Taiwan, Earthen News