Ten month abandonment nearing close

25 June 2009

The end of 10 months of destitution for a ship’s crew in Romania moved a step closer this week with the notice that the vessel will be sold at public auction next month.

The St Vincent and Grenadines-flagged Aurika arrived for repairs in Romania’s Midia Shipyard in September 2008 with 22 Russian and Ukrainian crew, who had already spent four to six months on board. Two months later the owner declared that he could not pay for the work. The crew were abandoned without pay. It was only thanks to the support of ITF inspector Adrian Mihalciou and the Romanian Seafarers’ Union that they didn’t starve. Between them the RSU and ITF ensured the supply of food, water and other necessities, and initiated legal action to recover the unpaid salaries.

In March this year the 8.873 tdw cargo ship, built in Japan in 1979, was seized by the Court of Constanta and 18 crewmembers were repatriated by the ITF. After five months the court found in favour of the seafarers and initiated the procedures to sell the ship.

ITF inspector Adrian Mihalciou said: “The date for the ship’s auction has now been set at 31^st July and we are all hoping that the auction will attract interest and the ship be sold for a price that allows these seafarers to receive the money that they have been so grievously owed for so long.”

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