The shipping industry has collapsed. No cruise liners are leaving port heaving with excited passengers ready for a long break from land. Sailors from all over the world are now stuck on ships unable to leave the port. Or they are stuck out sea. Around 600 sailors from India are out at sea docked near Southampton port. Around 280 sailors are from Goa. All of them are on the ship Explorer 1. Aaron Alvares a sailor on the ship and originally from Vasco said they were on the ship from March 13 and were now hoping and praying to be flown back home to India. He said “The company, Marella is taking care of us very well. They are paying us between 30 to 35% of our salary. Food is being provided; we have no problem on that score. However, we want to return home to Goa and other parts of the country”. He said there have been instances when they had come close to returning home but it had just not worked out. Aaron said they were scheduled to leave on May 29th but it was then postponed. A flight was then arranged by the company for June 3 which then changed to June 5 and finally June 6. Now a flight has been arranged with a subsidiary of the company Tui on June 14. But the sailors will learn on June 12 if it will take off or will be another stillborn initiative. He said crew members had lost family members due to the virus and other diseases and were not able to be present on those occasions. They had approached the Indian Commission in London for help. He said everyone was keeping their fingers crossed and hoped to fly out on July 14. He said he was aware of the state of affairs in Vasco and was more than willing to go in for the fourteen-day isolation and follow all the other protocols. Aaron said he was quietly confident they would reach home soon.
