After being abandoned and left without pay, 37 Russian and Ukrainian fishers have finally received the wages they earned, three years after their nightmare began.
The crew of the Hunter, a Russian fish factory vessel abandoned in Las Palmas were unpaid for up to seven months, with a total wage debt of $252,822 (232.951 euros). Trapped aboard the ship, they faced a constant cloud of uncertainty – until they decided to contact the ITF International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).
“This case isn’t just about unpaid wages, it’s about dignity, justice, and the human cost of abandonment,” said Gonzalo Galan, the ITF Inspector in the Canary Islands who worked on the case.
In March 2022, with the shipowner unresponsive, ITF secured legal representation for the crew, who were then repatriated: the Hunter was arrested, declared officially abandoned, and eventually sold at auction to help recover the wages owed.
The ITF Seafarers’ Trust provided emergency financial assistance to help the fishers return home, and also covered urgent medical costs for a crew member injured while working aboard the vessel.
After a long and complex legal procedure, in December 2024 the court distributed the money recovered from the vessel’s auction to all the creditors.
Even most of the recovered funds have been already delivered to most of the crewmembers, ITF is now working with ISWAN to ensure that the remaining funds are sent to the affected fishers, despite ongoing obstacles related to financial sanctions against Russian banks and citizens.
“This case is a stark reminder of how vulnerable fishers remain to exploitation,” said Galan. “These 37 men were abandoned, unpaid, and left stranded by the same company that profited from their labour. Thanks to their resilience – and a relentless legal fight – they are finally receiving what they earned. But no fisher should ever have to go through this.”
Galan added: “This victory sends a clear message: abandon your crew, and the ITF will come for you. Fishers are not disposable. They are essential, their jobs are exceedingly dangerous, and they deserve respect and justice.”
The ITF continues to urge governments, flag states, and the fishing industry to take stronger, enforceable action to prevent abandonment, protect workers’ rights, and hold rogue shipowners accountable.
