PANJIM: While there seems to be no word from the government yet, either the State or the Centre, a documented study has revealed that there are about 21,247 Indians stranded on cruise and merchant navy ship due to the pandemic of COVID-19.
While some of them may be infected with the virus, there are several who are dead and many may be staying with the dead, says a study by Cruz Judas S Barreto (chief engineer/merchant Navy) Executive Member (Overseas Affairs) Goencho Avaaz.
The Goencho Avaaz has now written to the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, for immediate intervention required to bring back the shipping crew of Indian origin stranded all over the world and in danger of contracting COVID-19 with disastrous consequences.
“As you may be aware, there are thousands of Indians including those of Goan origin who are still stranded on the ships especially cruise ships. Sadly some of the crew members are already sick with COVID-19 and still on board the ships. Few of the crew members have sadly lost their lives to this virus and their bodies are still on board. Some are hospitalised in various countries and in critical condition,” the letter says.
Further, he says, there are many others on board, who are healthy as of now, however are possessing serious threat of contracting virus from the infected ones, are under huge mental trauma and the anxiety is taking its toll on their mental health, as also on their family members and relatives back home.
“Considering the grave situation our seafarers are in, our team with around thirty years of merchant navy experience set out to document data of the ships, their locations, number of Indian crew, and if there is any COVID-19 case on board,” the letter says.
Barreto says the is solely aimed at bringing to the knowledge of the Union Government of India the factual position, as to facilitate logistic and diplomatic efforts of the government, to enable safe and quick return of our seafarers with no malice or prejudice intended towards any individual or entity.
“Our study is detailed in a tabulated form and is attached herewith for your kind perusal. The table clearly depicts the ships and the crew stranded across the world. The crew on board is extremely fragile and it is only human to pay heed to the cries of help,” he says.
The document, copy of which is in possession of Herald, says the crew stranded is upwards of 20,000 in approximately 200 ships.
“We kindly request you to requisition the data from the DG shipping and the shipping agencies providing crew to these ships. And then all these data be collated to negate any inadvertent errors,” the letter says.
The letter urges the government to understand the plight of the vulnerable crew and use diplomacy at the highest level in bringing back the hapless crew safely home at the soonest.
“We urge your good office to impress upon the prime Minister to open up our airports (safer airports) for the time it requires to bring back the seafarers quickly and request you that immediate directions to be issued to the Ambassadors to have the data of COVID-19 infected crew on board on various ships and to ensure that all such Indians get the proper medical treatment to avoid casualties, to collaborate with the Ambassadors of respective countries where the passenger ships are stranded and the shipping companies to facilitate smooth repatriation of seafarers back to India, direct the DG shipping to ensure that none of the shipping crew is abandoned in any part of the world and direct the respective state governments to avail the quarantine facilities in the home state of respective crew,” the letter reads.
The letter further says that Goencho Avaaz understand total lockdown and closure of airports as one of the efficient methods to disrupt the chain of transmission and bring a halt to this menacing virus.
“We also applaud the efforts our government has made and the tough decisions it has undertaken in this regard and aware of the government’s untiring efforts and commitment to bring home hundreds of on shore based Indians from countries such as China, Iran, Italy, etc. And also the high risk operation in ferrying back hundreds of foreign nationals stranded in India as in the case of Israel, during this difficult times,” it says.
