A fundraising campaign has been launched by the chaplain of Aberdeen harbour in aid of the 12 Indian seafarers who have been trapped in the city for more than a year due to an ongoing pay dispute.
The crew of the Malaviya Seven offshore supply vessel have been stuck in the north-east of Scotland ever since their ship was detained last June, when a routine inspection discovered they had not been paid their wages in months.
Now, more than a year on, they have still not seen a single penny.
The men have been unable to go home for fear that they could lose out on the more than $800,000 USD collectively owed to them by the ship’s owners GOL Offshore – cash they desperately need to send home to their struggling families.
But over the duration of their stay in Aberdeen, the crew have been assisted by Doug Duncan, a chaplain for the Apostleship of the Sea, as well as dozens of other volunteers and church groups.
By providing the men with a generator to keep the lights on, food to keep them from going hungry and trips on shore to alleviate the pain of not being able to see their loved ones, Mr Duncan has been able to make their time in the north-east bearable.
But many of the crew are the sole breadwinners for their families back home in India, and what they desperately need is to be paid their dues as soon as possible, so they can go home and provide for those who depend on them.
And last night, following a major public outcry after the seafarer’s plight was highlighted by the Press and Journal, Mr Duncan set up an online fundraiser.
All donations will go directly towards helping the crew and their families.
He said: “The resolve of the crew and of the local community to help the seafarers is resolute, but their ability to support their needs is now beyond what they can do without support.
“Fuel for the vessel costs £4,000 a month, a food for the 12 crew costs £1,800.
“All monies given will be used to directly provide the crew with practical and emotional support.
“If any money remains after the crew return home, we will use this to support other seafarers in similar circumstances around the world.”
To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/aots/malaviya-seven
